PUNJAB CABINET OKAYS AMENDMENTS TO SERVICE RULES OF 5 DEPTS TO FAST : TRACK RECRUITMENT -

Chandigarh, 16 August 2021 : To fast-track the process of recruitment to five government departments, the Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, on Monday gave approval for amendments to the relevant service rules.

The departments are Home Affairs & Justice; Jails; Animal Husbandry, Fisheries & Dairy Development;` School Education; and Rural Development & Panchayats.

The move will accelerate the government’s State Employment Plan 2020-22, to fill vacant jobs in these departments in a time-bound manner, as part of the restructuring process to improve efficiency through rationalisation of manpower.

According to a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office, the Cabinet gave approval to amend ‘The Forensic Science Laboratory, Punjab Group-A Rules, 2021’ and ‘The Forensic Science Laboratory, Punjab Group-B Rules, 2021’. These Rules would govern the recruitment/appointment and the conditions of service of the staff of Forensic Science Laboratory, Punjab.

The Forensic Science Laboratory, Punjab, earlier had 48 sanctioned technical posts, which has now been enhanced to 189. Three Regional Testing Forensic Science Laboratories for the examination of cases related to NDPS Act came into existence in the year 2015. New divisions like DNA Analysis and Audio/Voice analysis have been established, while Cyber Forensic Division and Polygraph Division are likely to be established soon in the main Forensic Science Laboratory.

In the light of changes in the nature of crime & advancements in technology, the Cabinet felt there was an urgent need to upgrade the qualifications of the Technical Staff, and also increase the direct recruitment and promotion quota in the existing rules to infuse young blood with advanced/modern Scientific/computer skills and better creative ideas. The amendments thus relate to qualifications, recruitment quota number of posts and addition of new posts in the existing rules.

Following the Cabinet’s nod on December 30, 2020 for restructuring of the department of Prosecution and Litigation, the Cabinet today also accorded approval to the Punjab Prosecution and Litigation (Group-A) Service (First Amendment) Rules, 2021 and Punjab Prosecution and Litigation (Group-B) Service (First Amendment) Rules, 2021, thereby enhancing the posts of District Attorney to 42, Deputy District Attorney to 184 and Assistant District Attorney to 399 respectively. Besides, the Punjab Prosecution and Litigation (Group-A) Service (First Amendment) Rules, 2021 has reduced the minimum experience required for promotion of Joint Director, District Attorney and Deputy District Attorney by one year.

The Council of Ministers also approved Chemical Examiner Laboratory, Punjab (Group A) Service Rules, 2021, Chemical Examiner Laboratory, Punjab (Group B) Service Rules, 2021 and ‘Chemical Examiner Laboratory, Punjab (Group C) Service Rules, 2021. These Rules would enable the department to urgently recruit dedicated manpower for serious crime based viscera and blood alcohol cases in Chemical Examiner Laboratory Punjab, Kharar. On the directions of Punjab & Haryana High Court, the Chemical Examiner Laboratory’s control has been handed over to the Home department from Health & Family Welfare. Moreover, the High Court is maintaining close surveillance, especially on pendency of samples, non-production of challans in court, viscera and blood alcohol/drug for blood & urine and alcohol cases without testing and analysis.

The Punjab Jail Department State Services (Class III Executive) (First Amendment) Rules, 2021 have also been introduced to provide for compulsory Punjabi at Class 10th level in the direct recruitment rules of Warders, Matrons and Armors and physical efficiency test in direct recruitment of Warders, Matrons and Assistant Superintendent.

Further, to regulate bovine breeding activities, which includes production of bovine semen, processing, storage, sale and artificial insemination in the state, the Cabinet has okayed the Punjab Bovine Breeding Rules, 2021 for implementation of Punjab Bovine Breeding Act, 2016, in a better and more effective manner.

The Cabinet also gave the go-ahead to the Punjab Rural Development and Panchayats (Technical Wing) Group B Technical Service Rules, 2021, governing service conditions of the Junior Engineers employed in the Engineering Wing of the Rural Development of Panchayats department.

The Cabinet also approved amendment in the Punjab State Elementary Education (Pre Primary School Teachers) Group-C Service Rules, 2020, which provides teaching experience of at least three years in case of Education Provider, Education Volunteer, Education Guarantee Scheme Volunteer (EGSV), Alternative or Innovative Education Volunteer (AIEV), Special Training Resource Volunteer (STRV) or Inclusive Educational Volunteer (IEV) in Government Schools of Punjab. However, the other educational qualifications of minimum 45% marks in Class XII and Diploma or Certificate obtained by the candidates in Nursery Teacher Training of not less than one year, recognized by NCTE remains unchanged.