Chandigarh, Feb 21 (IANS) Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's government will present its Budget for financial year 2023-24 on March 10 as the Budget session of the 16th Punjab Assembly will be held from March 3 to March 24, it was announced on Tuesday.
This was decided at a Cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister here.
A spokesperson for the Chief Minister's Office said the Cabinet authorised the Governor to convene the session, as per Article 174 of the Constitution.
As per the schedule, the budget session will commence on March 3 at 10 a.m. with Governor's address followed by obituary references at 2 p.m.
The motion of thanks and discussion on Governor's Address will take place on March 6, while the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General for year 2021-22, presentation of supplementary grants for 2022-23 and Appropriation Bill on supplementary demands for grants for 2022-23 will be held on March 7, followed by legislative business.
Non-official business will be held on March 9 and Budget estimates for year 2023-24 will be presented before the House on March 10, followed by general discussion on the budget.
The general discussion on the Budget estimates for year 2023-24 will resume at 10 a.m. on March 11 till its conclusion and voting.
Non-official business will be conducted at 10 am on March 22, followed by the legislative business on March 24 after which the House will be adjourned sine-die.
The Cabinet also gave ex-post-facto approval to the officers committee constituted by the Finance Department to formulate the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the implementation of the old pension scheme in Punjab.
With a view to provide houses at affordable prices to the lower income group in the state, the Cabinet also gave green signal to notify the Affordable Colony Policy, 2023.
The Cabinet also gave nod to convert 101 temporary posts of District and Sessions Judge or Additional District and Sessions Judges into permanent posts to strengthen the judicial system.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested three persons, who were trying to smuggle 17.74 kg gold worth Rs 10.1 crore on a fishing boat, and threw it overboard when intercepted, an official said on Thursday.
The Etah police have arrested four members of a gang including a 30-year-old woman, who robbed men of their valuables after a fake marriage. If the victim family took any action, the gang would threaten them with a fake dowry harassment case.
Under the policy, some private rehab centres have already been served with closure notices. Some have even closed. There are cases where rehab centres have shifted from Punjab and set up bases in neighbouring states.
Young educated Indians irrespective of their religion typically spend the holiday crowding parks and restaurants, exchanging gifts and holding parties to celebrate like any other Indian festival, especially since India began the process of economic liberalization in the early 1990s.
Talking to the media here, the SAD President said AAP had loudly proclaimed that it would give jobs on merit to students. "Forget doing this, the manner in which all recruitment conducted by the government has been vitiated and proved AAP does not have the welfare of youth at heart," he said.
The official said that acting on an intelligence input, the Custom officers of Air Cargo Complex (ACC) (Import) intercepted a consignment from Dubai that was meant for transshipment to SEZ, Jaipur.
