Chandigarh, Aug 28 (PTI) The Punjab Cabinet on Monday gave a nod to set up Punjab Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences at SAS Nagar here at a cost of Rs 59 crore.
A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting of the council of ministers held here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, according to an official release.
The centre will act as a catalyst to provide better diagnostic, health facilities, counselling and treatment facilities at affordable rates in the state for liver-related diseases, it said.
The Cabinet also approved to create 484 temporary posts in the upcoming institute to ensure that people were immensely benefited by it.
In another decision, the Cabinet gave approval to the policy of disbursement of discretionary grants by the chief minister and ministers for the financial year 2023-24.
These funds are to be judiciously utilised for new and repair of existing basic infrastructure, environment improvement and fulfilling the basic needs of the underprivileged people in Punjab, it said.
As per the policy, the chief minister will have Rs 37 crore at his discretion while each cabinet minister will have Rs 1 crore at their discretion during the financial year 2023-24.
Speaking to reporters later, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the Cabinet has decided to reduce the discretionary grant of the CM from Rs 50 crore to Rs 37 crore. Similarly, the discretionary grant quota for a cabinet minister has also been reduced from Rs 1.50 crore to Rs 1 crore.
Cheema said the government has already made a provision for funds in the budget for several types of expenditures on upgrading schools like constructing rooms, walls, setting up a library in a school and arrangement of potable water etc. where most of the discretionary funds were spent.
As a result, the requirement for discretionary grants has reduced, so this decision has been taken, he said.
In another move, the Cabinet approved the appointment of visiting faculty in government schools of the state.
In the first phase, the visiting faculty will be appointed in the 117 government schools in Punjab and then it will be replicated in the other schools.
People who have retired as teaching faculty from any government or private school, college or university will be eligible for the proposed visiting resource faculty scheme.
Cabinet minister Aman Arora said a sum of Rs 30 crore outlay has been earmarked for this.
The Cabinet also gave a nod to amend section 4 in sub-section (2), for clauses a, b and c, sub-section (5) and sub-section (6) of the Punjab Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2023.
These amendments will enable clauses of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003 to sync with each other and to avoid the need for amendment every year, the release said.
The Cabinet also gave its consent for sending the cases of four prisoners for their premature release and also for rejecting the case of premature release of one prisoner.
After the nod of the Cabinet, the special remission or premature release cases will be submitted to the Punjab Governor under Article 161 of the Indian Constitution for consideration.
The Cabinet also gave a green signal to fill 20 technical cadre posts of direct recruitment quota as per departmental rules in the department of governance reforms and public grievances. PTI CHS VSD NB NB
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