The Punjab government decided on Friday to scrap the Guardians of Governance scheme, under which former servicemen were hired to keep an eye on government-run schemes.
“In view of the unsatisfactory performance of previous years in monitoring programs assigned to a few departments, the Cabinet has decided to discontinue the Guardians of State Governance program in the public interest,” the government said in a statement. official.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
The program was launched in 2017 by the Congress government led by Capt Amarinder Singh with the aim of overseeing the programs of a few departments at the local level effectively and efficiently. “But, as its fundamental purpose has been defeated, the GOG program has been closed with immediate effect,” the statement added.
The program was launched by the previous government to act as “the eyes and ears of the CM” and monitor development work and administrative matters in rural areas. A total of 4,300 ex-servicemen have been appointed as “Guardians” covering the more than 12,700 villages in the state. They were asked to send their reports using the latest information technology.
Interestingly, just a few days ago, the National Department of Food and Civil Supplies decided to use the services of the GoG to verify the beneficiaries of the Food Security Act and the Atta Dal scheme. The exercise was to take place under the supervision of the DCs and SDMs concerned and committees were to be set up for this purpose. For both rural and urban areas, GoGs were to be appointed as members of these committees.
UGC salary grid
The Cabinet also gave its approval to implement the recommendations of the Seventh Commission on Teachers’ Salaries for Public Universities and Colleges. Mann had made an announcement in this regard on Monday.
The government has said, acceding to a long-standing request from teachers, that Cabinet has given the green light to revise their salary scales with effect from January 15, 2016. It will be implemented from October 1 this year.
Invited faculty
In another move aimed at overcoming a faculty shortage in colleges, the Cabinet allowed government colleges to appoint guest resource persons from among retired college and university professors, who are qualified under UGC standards.
Invited resource persons will be hired from retired faculty members up to the age of 70 and will be paid a fee per session, subject to a maximum of Rs 30,000 per month.
Remuneration of visiting professors
The Cabinet has also given its approval to increase the salaries of visiting professors working in state government colleges to a minimum of Rs 33,600 per month for both qualified and unqualified teachers, the statement said.
Sangrur Faculty of Medicine
The Cabinet also approved the establishment, setting of salary scales and filling of 1,020 positions at the forthcoming Sant Attar Singh State Institute of Medical Sciences in Sangrur. These are 193 teaching posts, 427 paramedical staff and 400 other posts.
