Year of efforts for strengthening of governance and welfare of public servants
In the last one year, the state government has taken important decisions and has also implemented them for strengthening governance, for welfare of all sections and in the interests of government servants. The provision of reservation for other backward classes was increased from 14 to 27 percent by amending the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes Reservation Act 1994. Meanwhile, the economically weaker section was given 10 percent reservation in educational institutions and government jobs. In order to give priority to the youth of Madhya Pradesh in government services, live registration of candidates in the employment office was made mandatory.
The state government has set a maximum age limit of 40 years for the posts to be filled by open competition. In this, the maximum age limit for SC / ST / OBC / Government Corporation, Board/ Autonomous Institution / Nagar Sainik/ Disabled / Women (unreserved / reserved) etc. has been set as 45 years Apart from this, one year relaxation has also been given in the maximum age limit for the State Service Examination 2019 of the Public Service Commission.
The ‘Aapki Sarkar Aapke Dwar’ programme has started in the state. Instructions have been issued to all the government departments to organize camps in the development block headquarters and conduct sudden tours of the villages to ensure redressal of routine problems and fulfillment of the needs of the general public. Secretaries in charge have been directed to visit the districts under their charge atleast once a month.
Advertisements were released for 5116 posts in the examinations conducted by Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission in the last one year. Out of these, candidates for 3784 posts were also selected on the basis of merit. Meanwhile, Sub -divisional Officers (Revenue) were nominated in the districts to supervise the child care institutions and the institutions being operated to provide protection to distressed women. The validity period of Computer Efficiency Certification Examination (CPCT) certificate (score card) in Information Technology and Computer sector in the examinations of contract / regular appointments on various posts in government departments has been increased from 2 years to 4 years. Government servants were entitled to 2 advance increments upon family planning operation after twin children in first pregnancy, same as the one received after family planning operation after one surviving child.
The state government constituted Cabinet Committees on February 9 to find solutions to all sensitive matters. In compliance with this decision of the Government, the General Administration Department ordered formation of Cabinet Committees on total 16 issues including economic affairs, political issues and consideration of representations and demands of guest teachers, employment assistants and contract employee organizations, redressal of suspended forest land claims and investment promotion of Scheduled Tribes. These committees are presenting their reports to the government after considering the related issues in regular meetings.
2019 was the year of historical Cabinet Decisions
The year 2019 has been remarkable for Madhya Pradesh. The State Cabinet under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Kamal Nath took historical decisions in the year. These decisions gave a new momentum to the state, created new records of development and gave new power to the weaker sections. Investment got a boost in the state and real estate going through recession got new opportunities.
In the interest of farmers
The first meeting of the new Cabinet was held under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister on 5 January with a major decision to provide relief to the farmers, the pillar of the state’s economic system. The decision to waive the loans of farmers of the state was taken in this meeting. This was probably the first major and historical decision taken by a state in the interest of farmers in the history of the country so far.
Energy
The Cabinet gave a new gift to electricity consumers as well. It was decided to give electricity bill of up to Rs 100 for consumption up to 100 units, to take the prescribed power rate at 50 units for consuming 150 units of electricity and fix charge of Rs 100 for 100 units. This brought great relief to the poor as well as the middle class. Also, it was decided to half the electricity bill amount of agricultural consumers of up to ten horsepower. For this, the Indira Kisan Jyoti Yojana was implemented.
27 percent reservation to Backward Class
More than half of the state’s population belongs to the backward classes. The Chief Minister decided to give 27 percent reservation to backward classes with the consent of the Cabinet. The Cabinet also approved 10 percent reservation for the economically weaker persons of the general category.
Employment and social justice
In order to promote real estate in Madhya Pradesh in the year 2019, decision was taken to reduce the Collector guideline rate by 20 percent. The assistance amount of Rs 28 thousand given to the poor families under the Kanya Vivah and Nikah Yojana was increased to Rs 51 thousand. The Yuva Swabhiman Yojana was implemented to make the youth self-dependent by giving them employment. The pension given to destitutes and elderly was increased from Rs 300 to Rs 600. A trust was formed to conserve the lifelines Maa Narmada and Tapti rivers of the state.
Protection and respect for tribals
In the year 2019, the state government decided to increase the tendu leaf collection rate from Rs 2000 per standard bag to Rs 2500, while protecting the interests of the tribal class. It was also decided to make payment of tendu patta wages and bonus amount in cash. It was decided by the government to renovate the religious places of tribal culture. In order to free the tribals completely of debt, the decision to waive the moneylender loan was implemented. The “Van Mitra” software was designed to review rejected forest rights claims promptly and with total transparency. It was also decided in the year 2019 to increase the honorarium of guest teachers employed in the schools of the Tribal Welfare Department.
New Sand policy
To completely curb illegal sand mining in the state and increase the government’s revenue from this wealth, the Cabinet approved the new Sand policy. In addition, amendments to the Minor Mineral Rules 1996 were approved. This will help in achieving maximum revenue. The Bunder diamond mine of 364 hectare (forest land) area in Chhatarpur was given to Aditya Birla Group Company at a maximum bid of 30.05 percent. With this, the state government will get Rs 600 crore revenue per year.
Investment promotion
To encourage mineral industries, a policy has been approved by the state government to implement Land Pooling Scheme 2019 on an experimental basis under Madhya Pradesh Industrial Development Corporation. Rs 36 crore 89 lakh was sanctioned as the first installment for the Indore-Manmad new rail line project to connect Indore with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust.Roof Top Solar Project was approved for industrial units. In order to encourage international investment, it was also decided to give 75 percent rebate on the land value for setting up the data centre. In the same year, the MSME Development Policy was approved to encourage entrepreneurs and start ups.
Tourism
The state government enacted a new branded hotel incentive policy to increase private investment in the tourism sector in the year 2019 and approved necessary amendments in the tourism policy 2016. The proposal to simplify the resort bar license was also approved by the Cabinet. The Bed and Breakfast scheme was approved to create employment opportunities in the tourism sector.
Strengthening of health arrangements
Decision to appoint 2000 regular posts of ANMs in rural sub-health centres in the next two years in a phased manner was taken on July 5 in year 2019 to strengthen health arrangements in the state, The administrative department was empowered to finalize the contractual appointment of retired specialists and postgraduate medical officers with a view to removing shortage of specialists in hospitals. The 7th pay scale was implemented in medical colleges. To increase the availability of medical specialists in government hospitals, 6 correspondence courses have been approved. Madhya Pradesh Health Sector Investment Promotion Policy 2019 has been approved. It was decided to implement the Chief Minister’s Sushen Chikitsak Protsahan Yojana.
In favour of women
In the last one year, important decisions were also taken in the interest of women in the Cabinet meetings. To empower women helpline, outsourced recruitment of 27 posts was approved. It was decided to connect the women’s helpline 181 with the one stop centre and other helplines. Approval was given to conduct women safety based safe city programmes in 6 cities
Encouragement to players
With the aim of imparting high technical training to the players, new guideline principles were approved for the services of technical subject experts. It was decided to allot 0.607 hectare government land to the Ministry of Defense for the establishment of water sports node in Bhopal.
Other decisions
Apart from major and comprehensive public interest decisions, the state Cabinet took other important decisions also in the year 2019. These include the formation of Directorate of Information Technology, establishment of University and Horticulture College in Chhindwara, decision to celebrate December 3 as Advocate Day, Tripartite Agreement for Bhopal-Indore Metro Rail, Mid-Day Meals in Madrasas, Madhya Pradesh Real Estate Policy and Madhya Pradesh Electric Vehicles Policy 2019, raising the honorarium fund of accredited senior journalists to Rs 10 thousand and implementing the Chief Minister’s Horticulture and Food Processing Scheme.
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