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HP budget session: Contest polls to get MLA’s pension, CM tells govt staffers
Protesting staffers should quit their jobs and fight elections if they want benefits of legislators, says HP CM Jai Ram Thakur
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday threw a challenge to the state government employees demanding the restoration of the old pension scheme and said that if they want pension on the lines of MLAs, then they should quit their jobs and contest elections.
He was referring to the media reports regarding travelling allowance for MLAs in the assembly on Tuesday. The matter was raised by Congress member Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu through the point of order.
The CM said that people, especially the employees, are making irresponsible comments regarding the pension of MLAs. Thakur said that the government has not yet increased travelling allowance/dearness allowance (TA/DA) of MLAs. He added that legislators often go outside the state for work and due to this, they can spend up to ₹7,500 for their stay. He said that the previous Congress government had made a provision of ₹ 2.50 lakh TA/DA to the MLAs in a year, which was increased to ₹4 lakh by the present government about four years ago. This time, no increase has been made in this allowance.
The CM said that 90% of the MLAs were not availing of the fund and questioned the way the matter was represented in the media.
Earlier, Congress’ Naduan legislator Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu of Congress raised the issue and asked the CM to clarify whether the TA/DA limit of MLAs has been increased. He said that an attempt has been made to malign the image of the MLAs with such sensational news. He also said that after the implementation of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission, the salary of IAS officers has reached ₹3.50 lakhs and doctors has reached ₹3 lakhs. In contrast, the basic salary of MLAs is still only ₹55,000. He said that action should be taken against those who created a sensation. Congress member Asha Kumari also demanded action from the speaker on the issue.
Assembly speaker Vipin Singh Parmar also said that such sensationalism was an attempt to tarnish the image of the MLAs.
19,563 hectares cultivable land damaged by stray cattle in state: Minister
A survey conducted by the state government through an NGO has revealed that Himachal Pradesh suffering losses to agricultural crops up to ₹ 500 crore every year due to stray cattle and wild animals, agriculture minister Virender Kanwar said on Tuesday. He was replying to a question raised by BJP legislator from Nagrota Bagwan Arun Kumar.
Kanwar said that solar fencing is not enough to protect crops from stray wild animals like Nilgai and the state government is adopting alternatives like interlink chain fence and interlink chain solar mixed fence. He said that 19,563 hectares of cultivable land in the state are affected by the problem of stray animal and 4,927 hectares have been made cultivable again due to the efforts of the government.
In reply to a question asked by Kangra MLA Pawan Kajal, Kanwar, who also holds rural development and animal husbandry portfolios, said that in the last three years till February 1, 2022, 39 posts of veterinary doctors have been filled in the state.
CAG report picks holes in free school uniform scheme
A Comptroller and Audit General (CAG) report tabled in the assembly on Tuesday pointed out delays in providing school uniforms under the Atal School Vardi Yojna, a free school uniform scheme of the HP government.
As per the report, the uniform cloth was not provided to students during 2018-19, 2016-18 and 2019-20 and it took the authorities more than 11 months to distribute the uniforms.
The report also raises questions have on the construction work of trauma centres. Even after spending ₹10.61 crores, trauma centres could not be set up at five government hospitals and ₹7.81 crores was lying unused for 30 to 57 months.
According to the CAG report, an undue advantage was given to the firm in the construction of the Phina Singh Dam. Due to addition of 8% to the calculated rates, wrong working area and award of a lump-sum contract with unfair item rates, the undue benefit of ₹19.52 crore was given to the firm, it said.
The CAG has raised questions on the management of museums in Himachal Pradesh. It states that the acquisition of art was done arbitrarily.
HP amends act to protect tea gardens
The Himachal Pradesh government amended the HP Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1972 (Act 19 of 1973) to prevent sale and change of land use to protect and promote tea industry in the state.
The amendment was moved by state revenue minister Mahender Singh Thakur Act, which was enacted to put a ceiling on the big land holdings.
