PUNJAB CABINET DECIDES TO SUMMON SPECIAL ASSEMBLY SESSION ON 8 NOVEMBER

The Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday approved summoning of the 16th Special Session of 15th Punjab Vidhan Sabha on November 8, 2021 to oppose Centre’s notification extending the jurisdiction of BSF from 15 km to 50 km along the international border besides repealing the three farm laws.

Notably, this decision has been taken in light of the consensus emerged in the All Party Meeting held at Chandigarh on October 25, where it was unanimously decided to convene a special session of Vidhan Sabha in this regard.

This decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi here at Circuit House this morning.

In another decision, the Cabinet also gave approval to 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.

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 compliances 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.

In a bid to promote ease of doing business in the state, the Cabinet also gave a go ahead to the amendments in Punjab Right to Business Act, 2020 for inclusion of expansion by existing Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (MSMEs) under the purview of the Act. The amendment in the said Act provides an enabling eco-system for self-declaration, exemptions, speedier approvals and inspections for existing MSMEs to expand and operate in the state. All the existing enterprises undertaking expansion shall be eligible to get Certificate of in-principle approval for 7 services covered under the Act, to be issued within 5 working days to existing units in Focal Points and within 20 working days to existing units outside Focal Points.