Cabinet meet today, Joshi threatens walkout

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 28

The BJP’s Local Bodies Minister, Anil Joshi, has threatened to walk out of the Cabinet meeting tomorrow in protest against the state government’s failure to reduce VAT on spices.

On the demand of spice traders and consumers, Joshi has been pushing for a reduction in VAT on some spices and making turmeric VAT-free. It was at his insistence that the government made an announcement in the Vidhan Sabha on March 19, making turmeric VAT-free and reducing VAT on spices such as cumin, black pepper and carom seeds from 6.5 to 4 per cent. However, the implementation is awaited.

When contacted, he said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal had been assuring him, but to no avail. “If it is not brought as an agenda item at tomorrow’s meeting, I might walk out,” he told The Tribune.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet is likely to announce a slew of sops for a vast section of the masses.  The Old Age pension, given to 13.60 lakh beneficiaries is expected to be increased from Rs 500 per month to Rs 700 per month. This pension was doubled — from Rs 250 a month to Rs 500 a month — in January this year.

Around 8,000 jobs in various departments are to be okayed and a scheme for financial aid to those who participated in anti -Emergency protests (Dharmi Yodhas) is also on the cards.

It is learnt that besides discussing the appointment of 7,014 personnel in the police department which had earlier been objected to by the Finance department, the Council of Ministers are expected to grant per mission for recruiting sub- divisional officers in the Irrigation Department. 

Sources said the controversial Punjab Control of Organised Criminals Act, 2016, (PCOCA) will also to be discussed in the Cabinet.