Chandigarh, April 29
The Punjab Council of Ministers today approved the introduction of a voluntary retirement scheme as also the rules framed for adjustment or re-deployment of the ''surplus'' staff according to sources. The state had recently undertaken an elaborate exercise to make an inventory of the total strength of employees on its rolls. This did not include those working in boards and corporations. The state has in all 321,811 employees while the government has not opened employment avenues, there is a proposal to adjust the surplus staff against vacant posts.
The Centre has permitted Punjab to export sugar. With this, the state will be in a position to partly clear its huge stock of 50 lakh tonnes of sugar worth Rs 600 crore.
The Council of Ministers approved in principle the proposal to export sugar. In fact, there are just three sugar mills in the state, which produce ''export-quality sugar''.
This decision was confirmed by the Minister of Food and Civil Supplies, Mr Lal Singh. He said because of a heavy stock of sugar, the states sugarcane growers were not being paid their dues. He was hopeful that the situation would now ease.
The council also approved in principle to wind up SPINFED, since most of the spinning mills had already ceased operations.
