PUNJAB

Buoyed by the success of digitization of the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) in Punjabs two districts Hoshiarpur and SBS Nagar (Nawanshahr), the states Health and Family Welfare Department is all set to roll out U-WIN a digital platform for UIP in all the districts of Punjab from August this year.

The pilot programme had remained a huge success with both the districts having been able to achieve the desired targets by registering 92 per cent session sites on board, while 102 per cent newborns were registered against pregnancy outcomes, and 90 per cent of the registered newborns were provided birth doses of Vaccines through this digital platform.

Pertinently, immunization has been a proven and cost effective strategy to prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases and UIP in Punjab covers 11 diseases and aims to reach over 4.37 lakh newborns and 4.80 lakh pregnant Women every year.

Heavy debt burden accounted for 88% of farmer suicides that occurred inPunjabbetween 2000 and 2018 a period that witnessed 9,291 deaths — finds a new study based on a primary survey by thePunjab Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture University(PAU). Of these, more than 77% were those of marginal and small farmers.

The study was aimed at an objective assessment of the incidence and causes of suicides by farmers in the districts of Barnala, Bathinda, Ludhiana, Mansa, Moga and Sangrur. Among these, Sangrur reported the highest number (2,506) of suicides during the 18 years, followed byMansa(2,098) andBathinda(1,956). Overall, the number of suicide cases was the highest (630) in 2008 and then registered a decline, which could be due to the Debt waiver scheme announced by the Centre that year.

Despite the second wave of Covid-19 and strict lockdown restrictions, the business community of Punjab has shown resilience by not only complying with the return filing requirements but also paying their GST dues in a timely manner in June 2021. Resultantly, the GST revenue collected during the month stood at Rs 1,087 crore which was Rs 869.66 crore in June last year.

Implementation of measures like QRMP to ease the compliance burden of taxpayers, closer monitoring of bogus billing, rigorous enforcement, advanced data analytics using data from multiple sources and effective tax administration had also contributed to the steady increase in tax revenue.

The VAT and CST revenue during June 2021 stood at Rs 699.27 crore and Rs 20.96 crore, respectively, thus registering an increase of 42.37 per cent and 104.90 per cent, respectively, than the collection made in the month of June 2020. The VAT and CST revenue up to June 2021 (Q-1 of 2021-22) is 106.73 per cent and 178.56 per cent higher than the corresponding period of the previous year, respectively.

Notably, the GST compensation pending with Government of India in respect of Punjab up to June 30, 2021, has risen to Rs 8,495 crore.

Punjabi University will now work on Linux-based operating system. The University Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Arvind, said they would develop an operating system that worked in Punjabi.

The VC made the announcement on the concluding day of the 50th seven-day workshop organised by the Department of Punjabi Computer Help Centre.

Such programmes organised by the department for university students and outsiders would also be started for foreign apprentices, the VC added.

Pspcl surrendered unutilised power worth more than Rs 4,000 crore, the PSEB Engineers Association has claimed. The association has written a nine-page letter to the chairman-cum-managing director (CMD), stating: The per unit cost from these IPPs has been increasing almost on yearly basis. Moreover, these IPPs are finding loopholes in the PPAs and have been indulging in litigation resulting in higher power cost to the consumers of the state. The overall impact of all such litigations will be around Rs 20,000 crore over the next remaining 20 years of the agreements.

Keeping in view the interests of consumers of Punjab, long term exclusive PPAs with the IIPs should be immediately cancelled under clause 14.4.5 of the PPA and like other projects power should be procured only as per actual requirement of the corporation at market competitive rates from these IPPs, it adds.

The Department of School Education on Wednesday brough back an 11-year-old scheme for renaming government schools. Rechristening schools will be a salutary practice and allowed in case of those deceased who sacrificed their life for the freedom of the country or the martyrs in DEFENCE or paramilitary forces according to the new policy.

In a change to this policy, applications for rechristening a school will be considered by the Principal Secretary, School Education, at the monthly meeting only after it has detailed reports from the Deputy Commissioner, SSP and the District Education Department offices.

Implementing the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways scrapping policy, Punjab Cabinet on Friday decided to provide a tax rebate up to 25 percent to the owners of scrapped automobiles on the registration of new vehicles.

As per the policy, the owners of transport vehicles will be eligible for a motor vehicle tax rebate of up to 15 per cent, while the owners of non-transport vehicles can avail a rebate up to 25 per cent under section 13(3) of the Punjab Motor Vehicle Act, 1924.

In a major decision, the Cabinet has approved a policy for the disbursement of Discretionary Grants by the Chief Minister and his Cabinet of Ministers for the creation and repair of existing basic Infrastructure, improving the Environment, and fulfilling the basic needs of the poor.As per the decision, the Chief Minister will have Rs five crore in his discretionary quota, while the Cabinet Ministers will have Rs 1.5 crore each during the financial year.

Punjabhas been adjudged as best state in the region in terms of overall Health performance in the fourth edition of the state health index for the year 2019-20 released by the government think-tank.

Punjab has improved its overall ranking to eighth position with the composite index score of 58.08 from the ninth position in the Base Year 2018-19(56.34 index score).

Punjab has been placed among the states achieving positive incremental performance. Whereas the neighbouring states ofHaryanaand Himachal Pradesh have shown negative incremental performance, as per the health index.

Haryana continues to retain the 11th position with 49.26 index score whereas the hill state of Himachal Pradesh declined to the seventh position (63.17 index score) from its earlier sixth position (63.23 index score) in the base year 2018-19.