The Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval to summon a special session of the State Assembly on November 8 to oppose the Centre’s notification extending the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) from 15 km to 50 km along the international border. The Cabinet meeting, which was chaired by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, also approved the Punjab Anti-Red Tape Rules, 2021, framed by the Governance Reforms and Public Grievances Department to carry out the purposes of the Punjab Anti-Red Tape Act, 2021, which was notified and came into effect on April 6, 2021, said an official statement.
The decision was taken against the backdrop of the consensus that emerged in the recent all-party meeting, held on October 25, where it was unanimously decided to convene a special session of the State Assembly.
The Cabinet, which was chaired by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, also approved the Punjab Anti-Red Tape Rules, 2021, framed by the Governance Reforms and Public Grievances Department to carry out the purposes of the Punjab Anti-Red Tape Act, 2021, which was notified and came into effect on April 6, 2021, said an official statement.
“The Act shall be applicable to all departments and their attached or subordinate offices, including all units of local self-government, boards, corporations, public sector enterprises, societies, trusts, commissions or autonomous bodies established or constituted by an Act of the State Legislature or whose expenditure is met from the Consolidated Fund of the State. It shall also ensure that all the aforesaid entities would mandatorily simplify their process to reduce the burden of compliance by at least 50% within a period of six months of the commencement of this Act. Likewise, the Act would also provide for disciplinary as well as financial penalties against erring official for violations committed under this Act,” the statement added.
The Cabinet also gave a go-ahead to the amendments in the Punjab Right to Business Act, 2020, for the inclusion of the expansion by the existing Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (MSMEs) under the purview of the Act. The amendment in the said Act provides an enabling ecosystem for self-declaration, exemptions, speedier approvals and inspections for existing MSMEs to expand and operate in the State.