Pb okays amendment to take liquor vends in municipal areas out of highway rule

The Punjab Cabinet today approved an amendment to the state Excise Act to allow licensed vends in the limits of municipal areas to sell liquor even if they are located within 500 meters of national or state highways.
The decision was in line with the apex court judgement of July 11, said an official spokesperson.
Section 26-A of the Punjab Excise Act, 1914, will be amended to ensure the condition for the sale of liquor through licensed vends at a distance of 500 meters from national/state highways does not apply to those within the limits of municipal area, the spokesperson said.

The cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, also gave a go-ahead to a proposal for amending the Excise Act to check liquor smuggling.
In another decision, the Cabinet also gave its approval for amendment to Section 27 of the Punjab Land Reforms Act, 1972, thus paving the way for seamless implementation of various pending infrastructure and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) projects.
Enrolment in pre-primary classes for the next academic session is all set to start in government schools across Punjab this month, with the cabinet giving nod to a proposal in this regard.

Following the cabinet approval, government schools will start enrolling children over the age of three in the pre-primary classes, which will become operational in the forthcoming academic session.

Under the existing rules, government schools could admit children only over the age of six.
Speaking at the cabinet meeting, Amarinder Singh also suggested improvement in the government school curriculum, with historical events and heroes to be incorporated to help connect the children to their roots.
Local Bodies and Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu suggested inclusion of cultural topics in the course curriculum.