Pb gives nod for regulatory body to rationalise fee structure

In a bid to rationalise and regulate the fee structure in unaided educational institutions across the state, the Punjab Cabinet today gave approval for setting up of a regulatory body.
The decision was taken in a meeting of Council of Ministers chaired by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here, an official spokesman said.
"This decision has been taken in compliance with the directions of Punjab and Haryana High Court and will prevent these private institutions from charging excessive fees from the students arbitrarily," the spokesman said.
In another significant decision aimed at imparting quality education to medical students and providing the best health care and diagnostic facilities to people, the Cabinet decided to create 665 posts of teaching faculty in Government Medical Colleges of Patiala and Amritsar and the hospitals associated with them.

The Cabinet also gave nod to enhance the number of posts of Medical Teachers along with creation of new posts of various cadres in these institutions.
"This decision will also take care of future enhancements of seats in medical colleges. These newly created posts would be filled within next three years in order to give boost to the medical education and research," the spokesman said.

With a view to imbibing professional temper in the functioning of Central Cooperative Banks, the Cabinet also gave nod to replace the Ordinance with a bill for amending section 26 (2) (a) of the Punjab Cooperative Societies Act 1961 in the coming session of the Punjab Assembly.

The move will pave way for the appointment of Managing Directors of the Central Cooperatives Banks from amongst the experts of the banking sector.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has laid down a stringent procedure for functioning of the Central Cooperative Banks and any deviance or non-compliance would adversely affect the refinance from NABARD.
In order to hasten the provisioning of drinking water, the Cabinet also approved to withdraw recruitment of 120 Junior Engineers (JEs) and 30 Junior Draftsmen from the purview of Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board and to entrust the same to the Thapar University of Technology, Patiala.

The Cabinet also gave green signal for the conversion of the Punjab Laws (Special Provisions) Amendment Ordinance, 2013 into bill for its enactment in the ensuing Punjab Assembly Session, so that the legal proceedings against unauthorised colonies could be suspended for one year during the operation of the act.