The Panjab Cabinet has decided to waive off loans worth USD 7.8M of 4,750 Dalit (marginalized caste) families which were availed from the Punjab Scheduled Castes Land Development and Finance Corporation. Panjab Khet Mazdoor (farm labour) Union (PKMU) general secretary Lachhman Singh Sevewala said this waiver was too small. PKMU had conducted a loan related survey in 2017 which revealed that the total loan on 84% agricultural laborers was over USD 70M. The Cabinet has also given its nod for conditional, partial surrender and cancellation of licences issued to colonies under Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act. In addition, the Cabinet gave the go-ahead to partial cancellation of approvals granted to industrial park projects. The Cabinet has hiked the development charges for real estate promoters, ranging from 50-100% across the state. The maximum hike is in areas around Chandigarh which are experiencing large-scale urbanization with a number of residential and commercial projects being approved. In Ludhiana and Jalandhar, the hike varies between 52-65%. Meanwhile, the staff-strapped Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) is facing flak for imposing a blanket ban on all transfers and postings of employees across the state till 30 Sep, citing the ongoing paddy season and the need to ensure uninterrupted power supply. The hardest hit are employees already mid-process in transfers or those seeking relocation due to medical or personal emergencies. A senior PSPCL official noted that the corporation has chosen to tighten internal movement rather than resolve the root crisis, which is severe manpower shortage without timely recruitments. In Ludhiana alone, of 5,681 sanctioned posts, only 1,666 are currently filled. Among technical posts, only 250 of 465 junior engineer posts are filled; 47 additional assistant engineers are serving against the sanctioned 76. The situation is dire among assistant linemen, where 2,178 out of 3,089 posts are lying vacant (earlier coverage).
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