Chandigarh, April 17: The Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, approved a significant citizen-centric policy on Friday. This policy allows landowners to extract silt from rivers, drains, and channels at their own expense. Additionally, they are granted the right to use the excavated material for free.
The primary aim of this decision is to enhance flood management preparations ahead of the monsoon and improve water flow in critical river areas.
The Chief Minister’s office stated, “The Punjab Cabinet has made a major citizen-focused decision by permitting landowners to extract silt from rivers, drains, and channels, including the Sutlej, Beas, and Siswan rivers.”
The Cabinet has approved a policy that permits landowners to extract silt at their own cost and use the excavated material for their purposes without charge.
A spokesperson mentioned that this initiative will facilitate the rapid removal of silt from vital river sections, increase the water-carrying capacity of rivers and drains, and significantly reduce the risk of flooding, thereby safeguarding both public and private property.
The government has identified nine critical locations where silt extraction is necessary to ensure smooth water flow. Failure to remove silt from these areas could lead to accumulation, diminishing the water-carrying capacity of rivers and drains, and increasing the risk of flooding during the monsoon. Furthermore, the excavated material would also go unused.
In another significant decision, the Cabinet approved an amendment to Rule 6 of the Punjab Reservation Rules, 1994, concerning the positions of Sarpanches of Gram Panchayats and Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons of Panchayat Samitis and District Councils. This amendment aims to rationalize representation among various categories.
The objective of this step is to ensure equitable representation for each category—Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Caste women, women, and the general category. It includes a provision that if 10 percent or more of the total district councils are affected, a new rotation roster for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Caste women, and general categories will be prepared.
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My name is Narendra Jijhontiya. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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