Chandigarh, February 17
The Punjab Council of Ministers today approved an excise policy for the next financial year, besides deciding to employ all 909 Panchayat Secretaries on contract basis as a stop-gap arrangement. It also approved the revival of 54 posts of Senior Assistant in the Punjab Civil Secretariat here.
A spokesman of the Punjab Government said the basic framework of the existing excise policy had been retained. The excise policy aimed at ensuring access to quality liquor at affordable prices with effective checks on smuggling of liquor from neighbouring states.
The quota of Punjab medium liquor (PML) has been fixed at 460 lakh proof litres. No additional quota would be allowed above the basic quota. The licensees would be permitted to convert 10 per cent of their PML quota into IMFL of economy and medium brands at a lower rate of duty.
As much as 15 per cent of the auction money would be obtained as a security — 5 per cent at the fall of hammer, 5 per cent by March 25 and the remaining 5 per cent by March 31. The last slab of 5 per cent would be permitted to be paid up to April 10 with an interest of 2 per cent per month.
There would be a marginal increase in number of liquor vends. The quota of IMFL had been fixed at 200 lakh proof litres. The rate of excise duty on all brands of IMFL would be Rs 39 per proof litre with an additional excise duty of Rs 4 per proof litre. As a result IMFL would get
costlier from April 1.
The state also relaxed conditions for obtaining a licence to sell beer, wine, ready-to-drink beverages at departmental stores.
Khadoor Sahib has been declared a holy city. Amritsar, Anandpur Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, Chamkaur Sahib, Bhaini Sahib, Rajan (Ludhiana district), Kiratpur Sahib and Muktsar are already holy cities.
The Council of Ministers also decided to appoint 909 Panchayat Secretaries on a contract basis at a fixed salary of Rs 5,000 per month as a stop-gap arrangement.
It also approved to implement the recommendations of the Fourth Punjab Pay Commission about the enhancement of the ceiling on
reimbursable treatment. It was decided to reimburse the actual expenditure incurred on implantation of intra-ocular lens or Rs 2,500 whichever is less. The rates of partial dentures — one to four teeth — Rs 225; five to 10 teeth — Rs 450; exceeding 10 teeth — Rs 825; half dentures —Rs 1,050 and the full dentures — Rs 2,100 — were also approved. The fixation of dentures had also been allowed twice in life after a span of 10 years. Likewise the reimbursement to Rs 1,500 for a hearing aid and Rs 200 for spectacles were also approved. Employees of 40 years of age and above can buy spectacles also.
The Council of Ministers also approved the revival of 54 posts of Senior Assistant in the Punjab Civil Secretariat, which were abolished by the Cabinet Subcommittee on Fiscal Management.
It also approved the creation of a new development block at a Dorangla (Gurdaspur district).
