MP to get its first ‘cashless’ village on Bhopal outskirts

Madhya Pradesh finance minister Jayant Malaya will announce on Tuesday the state’s first ‘cashless’ village on the outskirts of Bhopal, said government officials.

Badjhiri village near Neelbad area is nearly 15 kms from Bhopal city. In October this year, Bank of Baroda had started a campaign to make Badjhiri village a digital or ‘cashless’ village by providing ATMs, point of sale machines and kiosks to the villagers for making cashless transactions.

A cabinet meeting held earlier in the day discussed the initiatives required to be taken to promote cashless economy in all departments. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told cabinet ministers to ensure cashless transactions in their departments.

Administrative control of 56 schools to zila panchayat/urban bodies

Among other important decisions, the cabinet meeting also decided to give administrative control of 56 schools fulfilling state government’s prescribed guidelines to zila panchayat/urban bodies as per the prescribed procedure in compliance to the order issued by the Supreme Court.

Under this, decision has been taken to merge eligible academic and non academic staff on contractual posts in the schools following prescribed guidelines as per the consent of finance department.

The cabinet also decided that the employees of teachers’ cadre who have completed three years will be merged in teachers’ cadre and minimum pay grade of the regular posts of principal higher secondary and principal high school will be fixed. This decision will benefit 1,600 persons and an annual expense of ₹12 crore will be incurred by the state government.

The state cabinet decided to give administrative sanction of ₹65 crore to purchase equipment, furniture and vehicle for New Medical College in Datia. Also, approval for creation of 1,685 posts and to fill these posts was given at the cabinet meeting. Moreover, services of 318 class 4 posts will be taken from outsourcing.

The cabinet also decided to approve proposal given by NTPC and the ministry for new and renewable energy for sale of bundled solar power from the proposed 250 megawatt solar energy project of NTPC of Suwasara district Mandsaur.

Similarly, the cabinet gave approval for revising the grant of Rs 10 crore provided by the state government to ₹ 65 crore to Eco-Tourism board. This amount is for the year 2012-13 to 2016-17 under the 12th five year plan.