Dhindsa announces to pay 30% pending arrears with November salary

30% Arrears of Employees to be released with November, 2013 Salary

Punjab Vidhan Sabha House passes 6 Important Bills

By Gagandeep Sohal
Chandigarh, October 30: Punjab Vidhan Sabha Session, on its 3rd day of proceedings again witnessed unruly scenes and walkouts by the opposition Congress Party members. Amidst heated exchange of arguments between treasury and opposition benches, six important bills were passed today which included: The Punjab Municipal (Amendment) Bill, 2013, The Punjab Municipal Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2013, The Punjab Water & Supply Sewerage Board (Amendment) Bill, 2013, The Punjab Municipal Corporation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2013, The Payment of Wages (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2013 and The Punjab Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2013.
During presentation of Punjab Municipal Amendment Bill, 2013 about property tax by Local bodies minister Anil Joshi, there were hot debate, allegations and counter allegations by the Treasury and opposition benches. SAD MLA Daljit Singh Cheema, while initiating the discussion, said that the Congress party is adopting double standard on the issue of imposition of property tax. He said that in the year 2006 during Captain Amarinder Singh’s govt. the then Chief Secretary had written a letter to Central Govt. for imposition of property tax which Dr. Cheema presented in the house. He said that previous Congress Govt. in the year 2007 had planned to implement this Act but meanwhile the people of the State had ousted the Congress party Govt. from office. He said that SAD-BJP Govt. had not implemented this law for six years. He further said that the Central Govt. has stopped the grants to Punjab including under Jawaharlal Nehur Urban Rural Mission for not implementing property tax provision. Joining the discussion, the Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu said that Punjab Govt. only blaming the Center Govt. on this issue and with the imposition of this tax, the people of the State are being burdened heavily. He said that Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Rural Mission has already been abolished and therefore this property tax should not be imposed. Intervening Cabinet Minister Madan Mohan Mittal said that this Mission is still alive. Meanwhile, Ruling party MLA Parkash Chand Garg while speaking on this issue advised the opposition party saying that your leader accompanied the Chief Minister to meet Center Govt. on water logging issue and in the same way also meet the Central leaders to withdraw the condition of property tax for releasing the Central grants to Punjab. The Congress MLAs including Ashwani Sekhri and Brahm Mohindra also participated in the discussion but meanwhile the Congress members walked out. After their return to house after 5 minutes, all the bills were passed amidst raising some objections by the Congress party.
Meanwhile, Punjab Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa announced that the remaining installment of 30% arrears of the lakhs of employees of 6th Pay Commission will be released with the salary of November. Replying to a question by Congress MLA Charanjit Channi on DA installment issue, the Finance Minister said that 8% DA installment has already been given to the employees which will be added with the November month’s salary. He said that the release of additional 10% DA is under consideration. He further said that Central Govt. is still to release Rs. 600 crores to Punjab Govt. and after receipt of this grant, the remaining employees dues will be released.
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