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Pb. Current Affairs

14th, April, 2022

Topic: Punjab Rural Infrastructure

Importance: Punjab PCS Mains

What is the news?

CABINET APPROVES PUNJAB RURAL DEVELOPMENT (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE, 2022

Purpose:

MOVE AIMS TO STRENGTHEN RURAL MANDIS INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROVIDE EFFICIENT PROCUREMENT SYSTEM TO FARMERS

In a bid to strengthen overall rural infrastructure and put in place the advanced procurement system to the farmers, the Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday approved the Punjab Rural Development (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022.
This decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann here at CMO, this morning.
Resultantly, the Punjab Rural Development Act, 1987 has been amended in line with the revised principles laid down by the Department of Food & Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, GoI on February 24, 2020.
It may be recalled that the Government of India vide its letter dated October 23, 2020 sent the Provisional Cost Sheet (PCS) for Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2020-wherein it does not account for statutory dues of Rural Development Fund (RDF) calculated at @ 3% of MSP, however the PCS provides as “@Matters related to deductions from MSP made by State & utilization of RD Fee for the purpose of development of procurement center is under scrutiny.”

How it will go to work out?

According to a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office, the RDF shall be spent for the purposes/activities including; Construction or repair of approach roads to mandis/procurement centres and street lights thereon enabling farmers in transportation of their produce, Construction/development of new mandis/procurement centers and development of old/katcha mandis/procurement centres, For making arrangements for supply of drinking water and for improving sanitation in the mandis/procurement centres, For providing well equipped rest houses/night shelters/sheds for farmers and labour engaged in procurement operations.
Likewise, RDF would also be spent for augmenting storage facilities in mandies to store procured stocks so as to strengthen the procurement and marketing systems in the State, to provide relief to debt stressed farmers of the State to eliminate any possibility of distress sale, Development of hardware/software related to procurement/linking of land records, crop survey, bio- authentication of farmers at the mandi/State level which may improve transparency and facilitate the procurement activities, Installation/Purchase of computerized electronic weighbridge/weighment facilities/quality testing equipment’s/sieving facilities in the mandi/procurement centres and its integration with e-procurement module, For automation and mechanization of mandies with facility of cleaning, sorting, drying, analyzing quality of grains, small shipping silo, bag sacking and stitching and for carrying out such purposes which may lead to strengthening of mandies/procurement operations, added the spokesperson.

(Source: Punjab Government)

Topic: Good Governance

Importance: Punjab PCS Mains

What is the news?

PUNJAB GOVERNMENT RECOVERED RS.28.97 CRORE FROM ACCOUNTS OF DECEASED BENEFICIARIES

Ensuring judicious distribution of funds under various social security schemes, the Punjab Government has recovered Rs.28.97 crore from bank accounts of deceased beneficiaries of various Social Security Schemes.
While disclosing this here, Punjab Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur said, “after assuming the charge of office, she had directed the officials of Social Security, Women and Child Development Department to thoroughly review all the schemes to ensure judicious distribution of monetary assistance under these schemes amongst the needy and actual beneficiaries besides saving public exchequer.”

The Cabinet Minister informed:

The department has recovered Rs.28.97 crore from bank accounts of 1,27,643 deceased beneficiaries and credited the amount in Public Exchequer.
Adding that the Punjab Government is providing financial assistance to the tune of Rs.1500 per month to Old age pensioners, Widows, Destitute Children and Persons with Disabilities.
She appraised that as many as 28.85 lakh beneficiaries are getting their pensions, which amounts to Rs.432.75 crore every month. She further added that total 19,47,427 Old Age pensioners, 5,38,010 Widows or Destitute Women, 1,75,135 Destitute Children and 2,24,513 PWDs were getting their monthly pensions.
Divulging more, Dr. Baljit Kaur said that the department has received Rs.4420.70 crore as budgetary allocation under these Social Security Schemes, out of which Rs.4353.64 crore has been disbursed to total 28,85,085 beneficiaries.