Rs.380 Crores Sanctioned for 3rd Covid Surge

 Friday: 9th July 2021 at 6:55 pm

Amount Sanctioned for the All Required Preparation

Punjab CM gives go Ahead for Recruitment of  674 GDMO; 283 MO (SPECIALISTS); 2000 Staff Nurses and 330 Faculty Positions 

Promises All Funds needed to Combat Pandemic

Chandigarh: 9th July 2021: (Gurjit Billa//Punjab Screen)::

Even as the second surge continued to abate in the state, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday approved Rs. 380 crore to be spent by the Health and Medical Education departments in preparing for a possible third wave of the Covid pandemic.

At a virtual review meeting of the situation in the state, the Chief Minister also gave go ahead for filling of 674 GDMO, 283 MO (Specialists); 2000 Staff Nurses posts, along with 330 faculty posts in Patiala and Amritsar Medical Colleges. He also asked the departments to bring the proposal for any additional posts needed to the Cabinet to ensure that all vacant posts are filled at the earliest.

The Rs. 380 crore amount approved by the Chief Minister shall be spent on PSA oxygen plants, MGPS Load enhancement and package substations, cryogenic liquid medical oxygen tanks, as well as  BLS Ambulances amongst others.

Asserting that funds have never been allowed to become a constraint in the state government’s response to Covid, the Chief Minister made it clear that funds will continue to be made available even in the future, as per requirement. The state was ready for the third wave, with preparations being made for 25% more patients than in the second wave, he added.

The Chief Minister directed the departments to ensure testing at minimum 40000 a day, with smart testing to ensure timely information on any upsurge.

Appreciating the detailed Surveillance strategy prepared by the Health and Medical Education departments, in consultation with experts, for prevention and containment of the third wave, the Chief Minister said GIS based surveillance and prevention tools will be used with an auto trigger mechanism for localised restrictions in the first instance. Regional or statewide restrictions will be unveiled in the second instance if the need so arises, he said, adding that districts will be categorised, on the basis of risk levels, into three categories, enabling districts to implement restrictions for containment on scientific basis.

The Chief Minister directed that data cells in each district be activated for collection and analysis of data.

Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan informed the meeting that funds and Oxygen plants have been provided as necessary to ensure that there is no shortage.

Tewari demands immediate release of salaries to PAU staff

Wed, Jan 22, 2014 at 6:17 PM
Pb. Govt. must ensure an assured fund for the PAU

LUDHIANA:January 2,2014: (Rector Kathuria//Satpal Soni//Punjab Screen):

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari today demanded immediate release of the salaries of the employees of the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), who include scientists, teachers and other non-teaching staff. He regretted that the staff had to struggle to get their monthly salaries as a result of criminal and callous indifference of the Akali-BJP government towards them.
In a statement issued here today, the Union Minister, who represents Ludhiana in the Lok Sabha, said, given the importance of the institution towards the agricultural development of the state, the Punjab government must ensure an assured fund for the PAU so that the staff there does not suffer.
He said, it has become a routine for several years now that the PAU employees’ salaries get delayed in the last quarter of every financial year and still the government has not devised any mechanism to ensure that the practice does not get repeated.
Tewari said, it reflected very badly on the fiscal management of the Akali-BJP government in the state that the scientists and professors who should otherwise be working in fields, laboratories and classrooms, which they are doing in any case against all odds and despite their salaries getting delayed, are forced to sit on dharna for what should come to them as their rightful due.
The Minister maintained that while all the educational and research institutions are of paramount importance, the PAU holds special place since it has not only scripted the Green Revolution in the country but also sustained it. “It is an irony that when the Punjab government is claiming to improve the agriculture economy it is treating PAU so step-motherly”, the minister said, while seeking the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s personal attention to this pressing issue.
While assuring that he will try whatever he can at the government of India level, Tewari said, a few years ago he had managed to get a one-time special grant of Rs 100 crores for the PAU, he will again try to get some more grants. However, he added, it is actually the state government that has to ensure that the PAU does not suffer for want of grants as the institution comes under the state government only.