The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.The Punjab government Friday decided to do away with the Guardians of Governance scheme, under which ex-servicemen were engaged to keep a tab on the government run schemes.
“Considering the unsatisfactory performance of previous years in monitoring the assigned schemes of few departments, the Cabinet decided to do away with the Guardians of Governance scheme in the state in larger public interest,” the government said in an official statement.
The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
The scheme was launched in 2017 by the Congress government led by Capt Amarinder Singh with the objective of monitoring schemes of few departments at the grass root level in an efficient and effective manner. “But, as its basic purpose has been defeated, so the GOG scheme has been closed with immediate effect,” the statement added.
The scheme was started by the previous government to act as the “eyes and ears of the CM” and monitor development works and issues of administration in the rural areas. A total of 4,300 ex-servicemen were appointed as ‘guardians’ covering the state’s over 12,700 villages. They were asked to send in their reports using the latest information technology.
Interestingly, only a few days ago, the state food and civil supplies department decided to use the services of the GoG in verification of beneficiaries of Food Security Act and Atta Dal scheme. The exercise was to be carried under the supervision of DC and SDM concerned and committees were to be constituted for the purpose. For the rural and urban areas, GoGs were to be nominated as members of these committees.
UGC pay scale
The Cabinet also gave its approval to implement recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission for teachers of universities and government colleges. Mann had made an announcement in this regard on Monday.
The government said, acceding to a long-pending demand of teachers, the Cabinet gave its nod to revise their pay scales with effect from January 15, 2016. It will be implemented from October 1 this year.
Visiting faculty
In another decision aimed at overcoming a shortage of teaching faculty in the colleges, the Cabinet gave go ahead to allow government colleges appoint visiting resource persons from amongst retired faculty of colleges and universities, who are qualified as per the UGC norms.
The visiting resource persons will be hired from amongst retired faculty members up to the age of 70 years and will be paid an honorarium per session, subject to the maximum of Rs 30,000 per month.
Guest faculty pay
The Cabinet also gave approval to enhance the remunerations of the guest faculty working in the government colleges of the state to a minimum of Rs 33,600 per month for both qualified and unqualified teachers, said the statement.
Sangrur medical college
The Cabinet also approved the creation, fixation of pay scales and filling up of 1,020 posts at the upcoming Sant Attar Singh State Institute of Medical Sciences in Sangrur. These include 193 posts of faculty, 427 of paramedical staff and 400 other posts.