Services of retiring doctors, paramedics extended in Punjab

Cabinet takes stock of preventive steps to fight COVID-19

17/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHANDIGARH

CM Amarinder Siungh

The Punjab Cabinet on Monday held a meeting to take stock of the situation arising out of the COVID-19 outbreak and gave ex-post facto approval to the Chief Minister’s decision on extending the services of retiring doctors and paramedical staff working with the State’s health and family welfare department.

An official statement said that their services have been extended till September 30, for which a resolution was passed at the meeting as the Cabinet reviewed the reports of the 7-member Group of Ministers, constituted under the chairmanship of Local Bodies Minister Brahm Mohindra, to oversee the preventive measures undertaken to combat the threat.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh later talking to journalists reiterated the total elimination of all kinds of mafia and monopoly in the State. He was talking on the occasion of completion of three years of his government. Capt. Amarinder said he will not allow mining, liquor, drug and transport mafias, gangsters and terrorists to disturb the State’s peaceful environment.

The Chief Minister said his government was working to end all these evils since taking over Punjab’s reins. “But these things take time. We have done our best, and we could not have done any better considering the situation,” he added.

Describing unemployment as the biggest concern, he announced that one lakh government vacancies would be filled up in the next two years.

Transport monopoly

To a question about monopoly of a single family on buses being operated from Delhi airports to Punjab, the Chief Minister said his government was working to address the issue.

Referring to complaints of continued illegal practices in sand mining, Capt. Amarinder said he had asked the Water Resources Minister to thoroughly review and make the system fully transparent.