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Cabinet nod to Rs 800-cr Shahpur Kandi dam project
Punjab to recruit 1,995 policemen, 2,000 teachers
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 5
The Punjab Council of Ministers, possibly eyeing the Assembly elections, approved the recruitment of 1,995 cops, 2,000 teachers and also revived eight posts for IPS officers at a meeting held here today.

The council also gave a go-ahead to the implementation of Rs 800 crore Shahpur Kandi dam project on the Ravi in Gurdaspur.

The project will be executed by the Irrigation Department and will not be handed over to a private party as was suggested earlier.

A spokesperson for the Punjab Government said the project design and the recommendations of the detailed project report (DPR) prepared by the National Hydro-Power Corporation were accepted. The funding pattern and organisational set up for the project has been laid down.

In the police force, there will be direct recruitment to fill 1,995 vacant posts. As many as 1,950 constables, 31 Assistant Sub-Inspectors and 14 Deputy Superintendents of Police will be recruited.

Out of this, 412 constables will be recruited for the computer and wireless wing. All 14 posts of DSP will be filled through the Punjab Public Service Commission.

Three posts of IG and five posts of DIG will be revived for IPS officers. The exact nomenclature of these posts would be laid down by the Home Department.

The council also approved the recruitment process to fill the vacant posts of 2,000 upper-primary teachers. New posts were created for the monitoring cell in the Department of Sainik Welfare Punjab.

An ordinance that will allow teachers to work beyond the mandatory retirement age of 58 years was approved. It will be called the Punjab Government Permanent School Teachers Academic Yearwise Pattern of Re-employment Ordinance, 2006.

This will enable schoolteachers to work till the end of an academic session and not retire at 58 years of age in mid-session. This will mean transfers will be carried out only once in a year.

By another decision, the Council of Ministers also approved the merger of 50 per cent dearness allowance in the basic pay of teaching and non-teaching staff of the private aided colleges.

A committee headed by the Deputy Chief Minister has been formed for the implementation of the Punjab Rent Bill, 1995. The committee shall identify the issues for the implementation of the Bill and suggest solutions for its smooth implementation.

The transfer of land belonging to the Public Works Department for the development of new Sabzi Mandi at Sanaur Road Patiala, was okayed.

It also approved exemption to all amusement parks, including the existing amusement parks with capital investment of more than Rs 2 crore, from the liability of payment of entertainment duty for five years.

The departmental and supervision charges have been exempted in case of small and micro hydel power projects being developed by the Punjab Energy Development Agency through private developers in the state.

The Council of Ministers also approved the creation of posts for the newly created district of Mohali. These posts included Deputy Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), Assistant Commissioner (Grievances), Assistant Commissioner (General) and District Transport Officer.