Punjab Cabinet gives nod for 2 special fast track POCSO courts in Sangrur, Tarn Taran

Chandigarh, Mar 9 (PTI) The Punjab Cabinet on Saturday gave its nod for setting up two fast-track courts under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) in Tarn Taran and Sangrur districts.

Addressing the media after the cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the step will ensure speedy justice in matters related to crime against children including rape.

“These courts will be set up in Tarn Taran and Sangrur districts,” Cheema said.

The establishment of these two fast-track special courts will eliminate pendency, an official spokesperson later said.

The state cabinet also gave its nod to the creation of 20 posts including two posts of Additional District and Sessions Judge along with 18 supporting staff for these courts.

The spokesperson said the cabinet approved the move to convert 3,842 temporary posts of judicial wing posted in the subordinate courts across the state into permanent posts.

These posts were designated as temporary posts for more than two decades and approval of Home Affairs, Justice and Finance departments was required every year for their continuation.

This will help in eliminating unnecessary hassle in obtaining continuation of posts every year, said the spokesperson.

The cabinet gave nod to ‘The Punjab Foodgrains Transportation Policy 2024 and ‘The Punjab Labour & Cartage Policy, 2024’ for smooth transportation of foodgrains in Punjab

According to the policy, food grain transportation works will be allotted through a competitive and transparent online tender system.

The cabinet decided to enhance the benefits of health insurance coverage to traders having a turnover of up to Rs 2 crore instead of the existing Rs 1 crore.

The decision will benefit more than one lakh traders of the state as they will be able to get free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh under this scheme.

The demand was raised before the chief minister during the ongoing ‘Sarkar Vyapaar Milni’ by the traders.

The Cabinet also gave ex-post facto approval to the setting up of 829 ‘Aam Aadmi clinics’ (AAC) out of which 308 are located in urban areas and 521 in rural areas.

“These clinics are acting as the cornerstone in revamping the healthcare system in the state by imparting quality health services to people right at their doorsteps,” the spokesperson said.

The clinics are providing 80 essential drugs and 38 different types of diagnostic tests to people, and till March 7, a footfall of 1.12 crore patients was recorded and 31.69 lakh diagnostic tests were conducted, said the spokesperson.