Cabinet Gives Nod For Amending Punjab Right To Business Rules, 2020 To Facilitate Expansion By Existing Industrial Units

Chandigarh : In order to give further fillip to industrial development in the state, the Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday gave nod for amending the Punjab Right to Business Rules, 2020 to include expansion by existing units under the purview of the Punjab Right to Business Act 2020.

A decision to this effect was taken in the meeting of the council of Ministers held here at the Punjab Civil Secretariat-I under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister.Divulging the details, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that to promote Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) in the state, the Punjab Right to Business Act, 2020 was notified on February 6, 2020 and subsequently the Punjab Right to Business Rules, 2020 were also notified on July 29, 2020.

These were applicable to the newly incorporated Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Punjab. But the new amendment in the Punjab Right to Business Act, 2020 will provide an enabling ecosystem for self declaration, exemptions; expedite approvals and inspections for existing MSMEs too, for expanding and operating in the state.

But with this significant move all the existing enterprises undertaking expansion will be eligible to get certificate of in-principle approval for seven services covered under the Act.

As per the amendment, the existing MSMEs undertaking expansion will be able to fast track completion of their expansion after grant of certificate of in-principle approval within five working days to existing units in Focal points and within 20 working days to existing units outside the Focal points.

APPROVAL FOR CREATING 810 POSTS FOR SUBORDINATE COURTS

The Cabinet also accorded approval for creating 810 posts for subordinate courts of the state including posts of 25 Additional District and Sessions Judges and 80 Civil Judges (Junior Division) cum Judicial Magistrates including posts of the supporting staff.

This move will significantly help in setting up of new courts in the state thereby facilitating people by expeditiously disposing off pending court cases in the subordinate courts.

The creation of these new posts will also create new employment opportunities for the youth besides strengthening the judiciary system in the state, added the spokesperson.

The Cabinet also gave green signal to the framing of the Punjab Water Resources, Research, “Group A” Services Rules, 2022.It may be recalled that keeping in view administrative needs of Punjab Water Resources department nine posts of Research Officers and 26 posts of Assistant Research Officers were sanctioned but there was no clarity about direct/ promotion quota ratio in the existing rules.

This move will now help in meeting the administrative requirements of the department to serve the people of state efficaciously. The Cabinet also approved negotiating and signing of the Building Fiscal and Institutional Resilience for Growth (BFAIR) project with Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India and World Bank (International Bank for reconstruction and Development).

This project will help the state government in bringing key reforms across the state and city level in coming five years (2022-2027) covering five administrative departments as implementing agencies.

APPROVES TO AMEND PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE MARKETS ACT

The Cabinet also accorded approval to amend the Section 12 of the Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act-1961 for making provision to appoint administrators by superseding existing nominated Market Committees.

As per the decision, the State Government will appoint administrators in place of dissolved Market Committees, who shall exercise powers and perform duties of Market Committees for a period of one year or till the nomination of new Market Committees, whichever is earlier.

Pertinently, at present there are 156 Market Committees in the state with nominated Chairman, Vice Chairman and Members but to implement the policies and programs of government expeditiously and efficaciously, it has became desirable to appoint administrators in these market committees by superseding the present incumbents.

NOD TO ANNUAL ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS OF DPI (COLLEGES), LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT AND TOURISM AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS

The Punjab Cabinet also approved Annual Administrative Reports of the DPI (Colleges) for the year 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21, Language Department, Punjab for the year 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 besides that of Department of Tourism, Cultural Affairs, Archives and Museums of Punjab for 2020-21.