With an eye on early 2022 Punjab Assembly polls, the Charanjit Singh Channi government will launch pro-poor initiatives from 2 October to mark the birth anniversary of the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi.

Chairing his first Cabinet meeting as Chief Minister last Monday, Channi emphasised to lay special focus on the core sectors of education and health to provide affordable quality healthcare and education facilities.

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The Cabinet directed the housing and urban development department to immediately start construction of 32000 economically weaker section (EWS) houses on a priority basis. These houses will be made available to the eligible beneficiaries in affordable instalments.

To curb illegal sand mining, the Cabinet deliberated that the free mining of sand by the landowners will be allowed to abolish the contract system. Under this system, any landowner can mine sand from his land to ensure its availability to the consumers at affordable rates.

The Cabinet also deliberated to increase free electricity units from the existing 200 units to 300 units for scheduled caste, backward class and below poverty line domestic consumers. It asked the additional chief secretary (power) to bring the proposal to the next Cabinet to give relief to the poor and needy.

The Cabinet also deliberated to waive off the pending electricity bills of tubewells working under rural water supply (RWS) schemes and also to provide free water supply in rural areas.

The Cabinet reviewed to give relief to the domestic water and sewerage tariff to the consumers of the urban areas. It was decided that the local government department will bring a proposal to the next Cabinet in this regard.

The Cabinet simplified the process of allotment of five-marla plots and empowered the Panchayat Samitis to decide the cases. A special campaign will be launched by the rural development and panchayats department to identify and finalise the allotment of plots to the eligible beneficiaries within two months. It was decided that Punjab Scheduled Castes Land Development and Finance Corporation (PSCFC) will formulate a policy for allotment of land to occupants at affordable rates.

Considering the importance of education, the Cabinet decided that a comprehensive policy regarding proper implementation of the Right to Education Act and providing monetary help to the eligible educational institutes be prepared and put up in the next meeting.

Conceding the demand of the management committee of Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Memorial at Sri Khuralgarh Sahib in Hoshiarpur district, the Cabinet also gave approval for the installation of a new tubewell in the complex immediately.