Chief Minister Smt. Vasundhara Raje chaired a meeting of the State Cabinet at the CMO, on Tuesday. Amid several other important decisions, the Cabinet decided to form Rajasthan Energy Development Corporation Limited for ensuring availability of low-priced and quality power supply in the state in transparent manner on short, medium and long term basis.

While briefing media-persons on the decisions taken by the Cabinet, State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shri Rajendra Rathore said that the main objective of the newly formed company would be to do short term or long term purchase of power, to regulate the power distribution corporations and to coordinate between power production, transmission and distribution firms. The proposed firm would be set-up with a capital of 5 crore rupees by the Government of Rajasthan and it would be a wholy state-owned company. Total share capital of this company would be 500 crore rupees and this amount would be raised by issuing shares of 100 rupees each.

Shri Rathore said that as per Section 2(8) of the Companies Act 2013, this new corporation would possess holding of all five power sector companies. Managing Directors of the five power corporations would be the directors of this company and Principal Secretary Energy would be the Chairman.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister said that the Cabinet decided to launch Arogya Rajasthan Abhiyan (a campaign for healthy Rajasthan) from December this year to March 2016. Prior to this, 48 thousand ASHA workers would collect health-related information of about five crore citizens visiting about one crore households in a performa from September 15 to October 31. Online database of this information would be prepared using E-mitras. This database would be utilized for the innovative Health Insurance Scheme to be launched in the state from October 2.

Shri Rathore said that December onwards health diagnostic camps would start at every gram panchayat. Health cards of every single citizen would be prepared through these camps along with treatment of the diagnosed health problems.

The Minister said that next session of Rajasthan Assembly would be called in second week of September. Ordinances promulgated after the Budget Session would be passed as Acts during this session. The session would be of a week’s duration.

Shri Rathore said that the Cabinet further decided to amend Rajasthan Subordinate Office Clerical Service Rules-1999, Rajasthan Secretariat Clerical Service Rules-1970 and Rajasthan Public Service Commission Clerical and Subordinate Service Rules-1999. With this amendment, if the candidates recruited in different cadres through a common competition examination were allotted an equivalent post in new cadre, then the probation period of the previous cadre would be counted for the new cadre as well.

The Minister said that meeting also decided to mention Assistant Secretary, Panchayat Samiti with Assistant Secretary, Zila Parishad in Schedule-II of Rajasthan Rural Development and Panchayati Raj State and Subordinate Service (Amendment) Rules-2013. With this, 100 percent posts of Assistant Secretary, Panchayat Secretary would be filled through promotion.

Shri Rathore said that the Cabinet decided to get the incomplete Mini Secretariat building at Alwar completed. For this building, construction cost of about 85 crore rupees would be arranged by selling properties such as Purana Slaughter House, Sinchai Bhawan and Residence of Zila Pramukh along with land of Khasara No. 551 and 552 of village Barkheda.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister said that the State Cabinet also included the Executive Magistrates assigned law and order duties, Mines, Transport and Forest Departments’ enforcement cell officers and employees for the Special Pension Award as per the Rules 109 to 111 and 114 of the Rajasthan Civil Service (Pension) Rules-1996. As per this, Special Pension Award would be payable to the spouse of employees deceased in above-said circumstances.

Shri Rathore said that the Cabinet further decided to frame Rajasthan Forest Service Rules-2015. He said that presently the subordinate employees’ services are regulated through Rajasthan Forest Service Act-1963. As per new rules, subjects like computer, electronics, electricals, environment, horticulture and veterinary would be considered for recruitment. Also, requirement of 10 years’ experience for promotion of a Forester to the Range Officer Grade-II would be reduced to 5 years. Likewise, requirement of 5 years’ experience for promotion of an Assistant Forester to the Forester would be reduced to 2 years. He said that woman candidates would be given relaxation in physical standards for recruitment.

The Minister said that the State Cabinet decided to name Government Higher Secondary School Sabla (Dungarpur) in the name of great saint of 18th century Shri Maavji Maharaj. It also decided to amend the Rules of Business provided as per Article 166 of Constitution of India, as per which works of RIICO, RFC, BIP and Rajasthan Foundation would done under Group-1, he said.

Shri Rathore said that the State Cabinet paid tribute to former Minister and Member of Parliament Shri Raghuveer Singh Kaushal and observed a two-minute silence before the meeting.

Jaipur, August 25, 2015