Cabinet nod for Amritsar Walled City Ordinance 2017

Punjab cabinet has gave nod to placement of the Amritsar Walled City (Recognition of Usage) Ordinance 2017 before the Vidhan Sabha for enactment.
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh here today.
A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said the Amritsar Walled City (Recognition of Usage) Ordinance 2017, promulgated by the Punjab Governor, provides for applicants to submit details of violations in the Walled city of Amritsar for a one-time settlement by January 31, 2018.
Under the proposed legislation, Sections 3 (2) and 5 of Amritsar Walled City (Recognition of Usage) Act 2016 will be amended.

In another decision, the state Cabinet also gave concurrence to introduce a draft Bill on the Punjab Land Improvement Schemes Act (Amendment) Bill, 2017, for insertion of new Section 14-A: "Laying of underground pipes of repair, renovation of existing underground pipelines through any other land holdings" in Chapter-III, Punjab Act No 23 of 1963, in the current Punjab Vidhan Sabha session for enactment," said the spokesperson.
The amended Act shall grant legal right to the soil and water conservation department and the farmers to lay underground irrigation pipelines in the land of other land holders at a depth of three feet beneath the surface of land, as per demarcated line on payment of compensation arising out of crop damage or damage to any structure as per prevailing market rates.

The Cabinet also gave its nod to introducing a Bill in the Vidhan Sabha to amend Sections 5 and 20 of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University (MRSPTU) Act, to give MRSPTU colleges a one-time choice to choose their affiliation.

The proposed amendments are in line with High Court orders and would help in resolving the court cases filed in the Supreme Court.
Following the amendment, the colleges which come under the territorial jurisdiction of MRSPTU would be able to choose between MRSPTU and IK Gujral PTU, as per their discretion.
However, the new colleges to be set up in future would be bound for affiliation as per territorial jurisdiction of MRSPTU, Bathinda, and IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar.

The Cabinet has also decided to bring in a draft "Punjab State Council for Agricultural Education Act 2017" Bill in the Vidhan Sabha session for the establishment of Punjab State Council for Agricultural Education.
The council will promote and coordinate agricultural education in various colleges and institutes and ensure sustained quality assurance in agricultural education.
It will develop guidelines and regulate the higher agricultural education through grant of recognition to colleges or departments that run degree programmes in agriculture.