In a bid to provide a major relief to the residents across all the villages, the Punjab Cabinet on Monday decided to provide free power to all Rural Water Supply (RWS) schemes w.e.f. October 1, 2021.
This decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi here at CMO this morning.
According to a spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office, this decision would entail an annual expenditure of Rs.440 crore on the state exchequer. Likewise, the Cabinet also gave nod to reduce the service charges on all RWS schemes by 70% from Rs.166 to Rs. 50 per household per month in the villages.
It was also decided in the meeting to provide funds through budgetary support/grant to settle outstanding arrears of Rs. 1168 crore of power bills of RWS schemes.
Extending a major relief to the people residing in urban areas, the Cabinet also decided to reduce water usage charges to Rs.50 per month for domestic connections of all categories having plot size above 125 Sq. yards in Municipal Councils/Nagar Panchayats and Municipal Corporations. Notably, plots upto 125 Sq. yards in urban areas have already been exempted from paying water and sewerage user charges. Both these concessions would benefit nearly 25 lac families living in urban areas.
Further, the Cabinet also decided to waive off all the outstanding arrears of water supply and sewerage charges for domestic connections. This decision is likely to cost the state exchequer to the tune of nearly Rs.700 crore.
GO AHEAD TO RECRUIT GROUP-D EMPLOYEES ON REGULAR BASIS
In another significant decision, the Cabinet also gave a go ahead to recruit the Group-D employees on regular basis thus fulfilling their long pending demand to instill a sense of job security.
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NOD TO SEND RECOMMENDATIONS TO GOVERNOR FOR APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN PPSC
The Cabinet also gave approval to send the recommendations for appointment of Mr. Jagbans Singh as new Chairman of the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC).