Mann, Bajwa trade barbs over Bill

AMENDMENT BILL PASSED AMID ACRIMONIOUS SCENES IN HOUSE

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Thursday witnessed an ugly face-off between chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann and leader of opposition (LOP) Partap Singh Bajwa over the Bill providing for single pension to legislators irrespective of their terms.

When the Bill was introduced, Congress legislator Pargat Singh said the move to introduce one pension for MLAS was a welcome step but the government should keep in mind that as per protocol, an MLA is considered equivalent to the chief secretary.

“Whatever pension you decide upon, please keep the protocol in mind. An MLA should be given the same pension as that given to the chief secretary. Or you may please bring down an MLA in the order of precedence in line with the decided pension,” said Pargat.

Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Dr Sukhwinder Sukhi said the legislators don’t want multiple pensions, but they should not be left in such a financial condition that they start looking at others for routine spending. The LOP, too, supported both Pargat and Sukhi, saying that the two had raised a genuine issue.

“Your party’s government in Delhi has increased salaries of MLAS. Whatever the MLAS genuinely deserve should be paid to them. I request the CM (to understand) that if MLAS are underpaid, they will look for other means. Most of us want to serve the state with honest intentions,” said Bajwa.

The CM told the opposition members that through this Bill, the government has not decreased the monthly dues of MLAS. “Whatever salaries and allowances MLAS are getting would continue. But if you compare your level with that of the chief secretary, let me tell you that an employee is eligible for pension if he completes a minimum 20 years of service,” said Mann, and questioned: “How can someone enjoy pension equivalent to a government servant for a five-year service?”

Bajwa kept on standing and questioning Mann whether the opposition was wrong to hope that the CM would listen to them. “The Congress should not keep any hope. We are concerned about the hopes of three crore people of Punjab),” pat came the CM’S reply. In the heated argument, the speaker had to expunge a few remarks made by the LOP.

Meanwhile, the Vidhan Sabha also passed Punjab Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill, Punjab Rural Development (Amendment) Bill and Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets (Amendment) Bill.