22nd, August, 2022

 

Topic: Revised Tender specifications for purchase of Tarpaulins in Punjab

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

• Acting on the directions of the Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann for revamping the various policies/procedures in the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, the Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak today gave approval to the revised Tender specifications for purchase of Tarpaulins used to protect paddy stocks against inclement weather.
• The revised tender Terms and Conditions have now been brought broadly in sync with the Terms and Conditions approved by the FCI for its own purchases across the country.

 

Purpose:

• In order to encourage new entrepreneurs, the policy has now done away with the experience clause, opening the doors for new industrial units to bid for the tenders.
• Further, in order to encourage wider participation, suppliers, who are authorised by the Principal Manufacturers, have also been allowed to participate in the tender process. This is expected to increase the competition since it was felt that manufacturers, who are located far away, often did not participate in the tender process.
• The minimum quantity of tarpaulins to be offered by the bidder has been reduced in order to encourage smaller industries to participate in the tender process. The tenders shall continue to be called on the e-tendering website of Punjab Government to ensure complete transparency.
• Comprehensive inspection protocols have also been introduced to check the quality of the Tarpaulins being supplied. These include inspections in both factory premises as well as delivery point, making these protocols even more stringent than those adopted by FCI.
• Recognising the monetary benefit of the existing specifications for Tarpaulins, which provide for usage of 2 years,, the state specifications have been retained. It may be noted that for the past many years, the Punjab Government has it’s own specifications for Tarpaulins, which offer a significant financial saving to the Government over Tarpaulins purchased with FCI specifications, which having a life span of only one year.

(Source: Punjab Government)

 

 

Topic: PGI satellite center in Sangrur

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

• Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya today visited PGI satellite center in Sangrur.
• The pace at which the work is being executed, including procurement of medical equipment, the center will be fully operational by January 2023. It will provide a huge relief to the residents.

What is SATELLITE HOSPITAL?

• Those hospitals, which are extensions of a main hospital and are wholly or partly administered by that hospital.

(Source: The Tribune)

 

 

Topic: MOU in Education

 

Importance: Punjab PCS Prelims and Mains

 

What is the news?

• PTU inks pact with foreign universities.

 

Purpose:

• Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Punjab Technical University, established by the state government, has prepared a plan to stop the youth of Punjab from going abroad for studies.

 

The Registrar of the university, Dr Gurinder Pal Singh Brar, said:

• In the presence of training and placement director Harjot Singh Sidhu that there had been reports in the media that many agents, working on behalf of foreign institutions, allegedly financially exploited parents and students, but even after getting degrees abroad, students were facing difficulty in getting jobs as many degrees were not even recognized in India.
• The PTU would provide a conducive environment and modern technology to pave the way for national development, especially the IDEA lab, which has been set up at a cost of Rs 1.25 crore, said the registrar adding that the university will play an important role in raising the standard of living of the people by increasing industrial productivity.

 

How this agreement will hep?

• Under the agreement signed by the PTU with American and Canadian universities, students will get admission into the university at Bathinda and get access to the courses of the universities abroad.
• They will get the benefit of scholarships given by the central and state governments.
• To speed up the process of providing employment, focus is being given to the agriculture and food processing industries and the pharmaceutical sector. All these measures will reduce the burden on parents.

(Source: The Tribune)

 

 

Some More News:

 

1) Punjab is a leader in India in
• Tractor production (29% of total manufacturing)
• Tractor exports (22% of total exports)

2) Punjab and mainly Ludhiana is the largest bicycle manufacturing cluster in North India, and a hub for bicycle & auto component manufacturing as well. Leading Bicycle manufacturers like Hero Cycles, Avon Cycles, TI Cycles have set up their units in Punjab.