Land for AIIMS to be handed over to Centre

Bhopal, Jan 07: The state cabinet which met here on Monday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan took important decisions for extension of education and health sectors. The cabinet has decided to give permission to Bhopal collector for transferring to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, New Delhi, the 154-acre land in village Pipaliya Pende Khan which was earmarked for establishment of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). 

The cabinet has sanctioned creation of 10,691 posts for upgrading 1,990 schools under Education Department. For this purpose, an amount to the tune of Rs 107.45 crore has also been sanctioned. A total of 790 posts have been sanctioned for upgrading 185 excellence schools, 883 posts for upgrading 883 primary schools to middle schools, 6633 posts for upgrading 787 middle schools and 2405 posts would be created for upgrading 185 high schools to higher secondary schools. It was decided to upgrade 56 primary health centres to 30-bed community health centres, 50 sub-health centres to primary health centres and establishment of 16 new sub-health centres under Public Health and Family Welfare Department. For these centres creation of 1446 posts has also been approved. The cabinet has given sanction to create 682 posts for extension and modernisation of Prosecution Directorate under Home Department.

Decision was taken to provide time-bound promotional avenues to members of State Administrative Service. According to the decision, time scale would be due on completion of service of eight years after the appointment for those getting the pay scale of Rs 10000-15200 and higher (A-Grade) and Rs 8000-13500 (B Grade). Time scale would be due after 10 years of service for the members of SAS getting the pay scale of Rs 8000-15200 lesser than C Grade. A committee would be constituted to consider the suggestions/amendments/demands about the prevalent time scale for other civil services. Principal Secretary, General Administration Department would head this committee. Secretary Finance Department would be its member and Secretary, GAD would be the convener.

The cabinet approved the excise arrangement for the year 2008-09. According to the approved system for 2008-09, renewal of licences of wine shops would be approved after disposal of applications for renewal by the District Committee as per directives issued and deadline set by the Excise Commissioner. Disposal of rest of the shops would be done through tenders. No new wine shop would be opened during the year 2008. For Ahata licence, the present system is proposed to be continued. During the year 2008-09 the duty on foreign liquor (wine) would be set at Rs 250 per proof litre like the present year. But there would be zero duty on the liquor distilled from grapes produced by farmers of Madhya Pradesh.

For the coming year 180 vehicles would be hired for enforcement work in view of added requirements. Besides, Rs 10 crore budget would be made available for computerisation of Excise Department. The estimated revenue from excise for the year 2007-08 would be Rs 1800 crore. Thus, 66 percent increase in revenue during the last four years would be registered which is a record. The cabinet also gave nod to increasing facilities to the fee fixation committee. Posts of Deputy Secretaries- one from Technical Educaiton and one from Medical Education, one administrative officer, one Law officer, one accountant and 27 other employees were sanctioned.