Punjab to set up minorities commission

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government on Friday approved the draft of the Punjab State Commission for Minorities Act, 2011 for setting up the state commission for minorities to study and suggest social, economic, educational and cultural requirements of religious and linguistic minorities of the state.
In another significant development, the cabinet also gave green signal to hand over the controversial Giani Zail Singh college of engineering & technology, Bathinda, to the Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar to run it as its constituent institution.The college ran into controversy in April this year, following reports of unfair help provided to the kin of a college official during the JEE-IIT test for admission to prestigious IITs. The college was later blacklisted by IIT authorities for conducting JEE-IIT tests, while the staff members involved in the controversy were suspended and debarred from IIT related duties.
Meanwhile, on Friday, the cabinet also approved reconstitution of the board of governors of the Beant college of engineering & technology, Gurdaspur and Shaheed Bhagat Singh college of engineering & technology, Ferozepur.
The cabinet also gave nod to the "revival and rehabilitation" package for the industrial units located in the Goindwal industrial complex to settle their pending cases of loan taken from the state financial corporation.
It also gave approval to allot plot in phase 8-B focal point, Mohali measuring 2500 sq.yds. to establish "Mohali hi-tech cluster" to develop into a common facility centre.
In another decision, the newly-created Pathankot and Fazilka districts, besides the two new sub-divisions at Dharamkot and Guru Har Sahai would now be getting the requisite election staff.
The cabinet also gave approval to enhance the existing scholarship amount of Rs.15000 to Rs.33000 per annum to the five cadets from Punjab, who had been pursuing training at National Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.
It also gave approval to the PEPSU road transport corporation to convert its state capital contribution, state government loans and interest thereon amounting to Rs.107.39cr into equity to make it financially viable.
The cabinet also approved to further engage the services of health and veterinary pharmacists working as service providers before 30 April, 2011.
It also decided to entrust the maintenance work of the prestigious Khalsa heritage center (KHC) at Sri Anandpur Sahib, Chapar Chiri war memorial Wadha Ghalugara memorial at Kuppa Raheera in Sangrur district and Chota Ghalugara memorial at Kahnuwan in Gurdaspur district, besides Harpal Tiwana center of performing arts at Patiala and Ishmeet sangeet academy at Ludhiana to the concerned urban development authorities.
The cabinet also gave ex-post facto approved to slash the VAT from 20% to 5% on the aviation turbine fuel being used by the commercial airlines from International Airport, Amritsar.