AAP govt in Punjab to present its first budget on June 27
Darpan News Desk IANS, 07 Jun, 2022 12:17 PM
Chandigarh, June 7 (IANS) The Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday approved summoning of the budget session of the 16th Vidhan Sabha from June 24 with the laying of the budget - the first of the AAP government - on June 27.
A decision in this regard was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Mann here.
The Chief Minister's Office said the Cabinet gave the nod for promulgation of the session from June 24 with obituary references and motion of thanks on the Governor's Address, followed by a discussion on it.
The Finance Minister will present the budget for 2022-23 on June 27 and the general discussion on the budget will take place thereafter. The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General for 2018-19 and 2019-20 along with Financial and Appropriation Accounts for 2019-20 and 2020-21 will also be tabled during the session.
In order to save natural resources in terms of groundwater, besides improving soil health and generating additional income for the farmers, the Cabinet also gave the green signal for providing the minimum support price (MSP) on summer moong at Rs 7,275 per quintal for 2022-23 by Markfed, the state nodal agency for the purchase of crops.
It was also decided to provide viability gap funding to the agency at the rate of Rs 1,875 per quintal, amounting to nearly Rs 66.56 crore.
During the current season, moong is being sown on about 95,000 acres with an expected yield of five quintal per acre. This will help in sowing short duration varieties of paddy which is expected to save 10-20 per cent of underground water thereby conserving the natural resources.
In a much needed succour to street vendors hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Cabinet also decided to waive stamp duty being levied on executing the loan or hypothecation agreement up to Rs 50,000 (third tranche loan) for the street vendors under PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme.
Due to incessant rains and water logging of fields owing to overflow of nearby natural drains during September-October 2021 in Delhi, crops of farmers have been severely damaged, the Delhi government said in a release, adding that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had taken cognisance of the matter and assessed that a relief package for crop damage was necessary to be provided.
The SKM also reiterated that the name, banner or platform of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha will not be used by any political party or candidate in the run-up to the Assembly polls in Punjab, scheduled on February 20.
Appearing for the Punjab government, Senior Advocate P. Chidambaram argued that Majithia has gone into hiding after the rejection of his bail plea in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and now he is appearing through counsel.
Interestingly, the move comes a week after neighbouring Madhya Pradesh permitted liquor sales at all its airports, select supermarkets in four major cities and also allowed issuing home bar licences to those earning Rs 1 crore or more annually.
The incident took place on Wednesday and the accused are said to be illicit liquor sellers in the area. It has been alleged that the woman was also gang-raped. A video of the incident showed the woman being attacked.
Both Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu have urged Rahul Gandhi to announce a CM face well ahead of the polls, instead of going with the collective leadership.
