Chhattisgarh

• 15 Jul 2022

Important Decisions of the Council of Ministers Meeting

Why in News?

In the meeting of the Council of Ministers held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on July 14, 2022, many important decisions were taken along with the approval of the draft Bill, 2022 in the Chhattisgarh Ministers (Salaries and Allowances) Act, 1972.

Key Points

• In the meeting of the Council of Ministers, it was approved to implement the new fisheries policy in place of the prevailing fish policy in the state. In the new fisheries policy, a provision has been made to give productivity bonus to the fishermen.
• The proposal for sanction of creation of District Strike Force cadre by abolishing the sanctioned posts of Assistant Guards in the State was approved. This will remove the pay anomaly of the Assistant Guards of the Police Department and all the Assistant Guards of the State will get regular pay scales.
• In the context of the Transfer Policy, 2022, it was decided that a Cabinet Sub-Committee will be constituted in this regard, on the basis of whose suggestion/recommendation the approval of the Chief Minister will be obtained.
• The draft of Chhattisgarh Appropriation Bill, 2022 was approved in the Legislative Assembly for the first supplementary estimate year 2022-2023.
• The draft of the Salary and Allowances Amendment Bill, 2022 of the Honorable Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Leader of the Opposition and Members of the Legislative Assembly was approved.
• The draft Bill, 2022, which was amended in the Chhattisgarh Ministers (Salaries and Allowances) Act, 1972 was approved.
• The proposal to increase the annual amount provided in the Chief Minister's voluntary donation item from Rs.40 crore to Rs.70 crore was approved.
• The proposal for enhancement of 'Additional Excise Duty' for the year 2022-23 to reimburse the excise revenue target and requirement of additional amount for development of Gothan and other development activities was approved.
• Necessary amendments were made in the procedure for grant of compassionate appointment to the dependent family member in case of untimely death of the officers/employees of the Dissolved Transport Corporation.
• The proposal for the Chhattisgarh Ground Water (Management and Regulation) Bill, 2022 was approved.
• The proposal to extend the period of One Time Settlement Scheme-2020 from 1st April, 2022 to March, 2023 was approved before and after the formation of the State of Chhattisgarh.
• Due to the adverse effects of industrial and economic slowdown, a proposal for relaxation of energy charges under the Special Relief Package from 1st July, 2022 to 31st March, 2023 was approved by the State Government to keep the Stand Alone Rolling Mill under HHV-4 category of steel industry competitive.
• Further amendment to the Chhattisgarh Electricity Tariff Act, 1949 (No.C.,1949) was further approved.

New Fisheries Policy

Why in News?

In the meeting of the Council of Ministers held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on July 14, 2022, a new fish farming policy was approved in the state of Chhattisgarh.

Key Points

• The aim of the new fisheries is to increase fish productivity by bringing the entire water area available in the state under fisheries, as well as to provide self-employment to the people by promoting quality fish seed production and fisheries.
• The new fisheries policy also provides for productivity bonus to the fishermen of the State. This amount of productivity bonus will be 25% of the amount to be received by the Chhattisgarh State Fisheries Federation from the auction of reservoirs and barrages.
• The major provisions of the new fisheries policy are as under:
  • Provision has been made in the new policy to encourage ornamental fisheries and gambusia fisheries in the state.
  • The state-based unusable mines will be developed and used for fisheries.
  • Under the right to lease ponds/reservoirs for fisheries under the Panchayat State system, ponds/reservoirs with an average area of 0 to 10 hectares of water area will be provided by the Gram Panchayat on a 10-year lease as per rules.
  • The ponds and reservoirs of an average water area of 10 to 100 hectares will be allotted by the District Panchayat, from 100 to 200 hectares by the Zilla Panchayat, 200-1000 hectares by the Department of Fisheries on lease.
  • The reservoirs/barrages of more than 1000 hectares will be leased out for a period of 10 years by inviting open tender by the Chhattisgarh State Fisheries Federation.
  • For the lease of reservoir and barrage by the Fisheries Federation, 50 percent of the income received from the open tender will be payable in the revenue account of the Fisheries Department. 25 percent of the remaining 50 percent will be given as productivity bonus to the fishermen engaged in fishing at the local level.
  • The system of free fishing in rivers and anicuts/deep pools having water area less than 20 hectares will remain the same.
  • The work of fish rearing in the ponds constructed for the Gothans will be done by the Gothan Committee or the group identified by them.
  • The increase in the lease amount by the panchayats will be determined by increasing the rate of 10% every two years, which will be used in the development works of public interest.
  • Provision has been made to reduce the percentage of non-tribal members from 33 to 30 percent in tribal fishermen cooperative society.
  • The post of the chairman of the tribal fishermen cooperative society in the scheduled area will be compulsorily reserved for the scheduled tribes. For the post of Vice-Chairman of the committee, preference will be given to the member of fisherman caste.
  • The allocation of reservoirs/ponds with an average water area of 0 to 10 hectares will be done on priority basis to fishermen group, fish cooperative society and local women's group formed under Livelihood Mission, fishermen and fish farmers.
  • Diploma in fisheries, graduate or post graduate persons and unemployed young fishermen and fish farmers will be considered.
  • For quality control and certification of fish seeds, the Fish Seed Certification Act will be enacted in the State, which will encourage the production of fish seeds and provide information on seed production techniques.
  • It will be mandatory for fish seed sellers and growers to register with the Fisheries Department and obtain a licence from the Department.
  • Unused and closed mines located in the State will be developed and leased out to the local unemployed for fisheries. The initiative for setting up of cages will be taken to promote fish farming in large mines.
  • The Department of Fisheries will be fully authorized for implementation of the Cage Culture Scheme in the irrigation reservoirs, for which the Irrigation Reservoir may be given to the Department on lease for a long period.