Punjab cabinet approves change in rules for shops and establishments to put up signboards in Punjabi

It will be mandatory for shops and establishments in Punjab to put up signboards in Punjabi with the state cabinet on Tuesday approving an amendment in relevant rules to promote the language.

The cabinet, in its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, approved an amendment in the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Rules, 1958 by insertion of new rules 23 and 24, after existing rule 22, to promote Punjabi.

A spokesperson of the chief minister's office said that following the amendment, it will be mandatory for every establishment to display its name on its board in Gurmukhi script.

However, other languages can also be used to display names on the board in addition to Punjabi.

All establishments will have to comply within six months of the amendment coming into force.

Whoever contravenes the new provisions shall be punishable with fine not exceeding Rs 1,000 for first offence and Rs 2,000 for every subsequent offence, the spokesperson said.

The state government had earlier exhorted people to put all the signboards on private and public buildings across the state in Punjabi language before International Mother Language Day, which falls on February 21.

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The cabinet also gave approval to an officers' committee set up for formulating the standard operating procedure for the implementation of the old pension scheme in the state.

In January, the state government had constituted the committee of the finance department to formulate SOP for the implementation of the OPS.
In November last year, the state cabinet had approved the implementation of the OPS scheme, which was discontinued in 2004.

The cabinet gave its nod to a tourism policy for attracting private investment in the state.

The policy provides a transparent mechanism for approval of adventure tourism projects which will be cleared only by an empowered committee chaired by the chief minister.

A single-window system and ease of inter-departmental coordination at various levels has been suitably incorporated in it, the spokesperson said.

Permission to commence adventure sports in the state shall initially be given to recognised National Adventure Sport Federations. As far as possible the sites shall be given free of cost for a period of two years in order to give an initial boost to the development of adventure tourism, said the spokesperson.

The cabinet approved a water tourism policy which seeks to give a big boost for attracting private investment near water bodies in the state.
The policy focuses on long-term economic gain and the choice of projects shall depend on the future growth potential and their ability to boost the image of the state as a popular and "smart" tourist destination.

In another decision, the cabinet gave its nod to simplify the process of issuing change of land use (CLU) within 45 days.

This whole process sometimes takes more than six months which causes undue delay in projects, said the spokesperson.

The cabinet approved the Punjab Food grains Transportation Policy 2023 and the Punjab Food grains Labour and Cartage Policy 2023.

The cabinet gave ex-post facto approval to increase the salary of 'Patwari' (revenue official) on contractual basis from Rs 25,000 to Rs 35,000 and to extend the upper age limit from 64 to 67 years with effect from August 16, 2022.

The cabinet also gave approval to notify an Affordable Colony Policy, 2023. The policy proposes to increase the saleable area from 62 per cent to 65 per cent and further to reduce charges like CLU to 50 per cent of the applicable charges in respective zones in the state, said the spokesperson.

With the aim of holistic development of the logistics sector, the cabinet also accorded approval to an Integrated Logistics and Logistics Park Policy.

The policy offers several incentives for the development of infrastructure like logistics parks and trucker parks/wayside amenities.

The cabinet gave its nod to implement Punjab Young Entrepreneur Programme, which envisions development of entrepreneurial skills and mindsets in students of government schools.

The cabinet gave its nod to convert 101 temporary posts of District and Sessions Judge, Additional District and Sessions Judge and 270 temporary posts of Civil Judge (Junior Division)-cum-Judicial Magistrate of State Subordinate Courts into permanent posts to further strengthen the judicial system in the state.

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