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With Punjab Assembly heading into its final Session on Monday before elections in February, the ruling SAD-BJP coalition is gearing up to enact key legislation that will bolster Government claims to development in the State.
On one hand, the Government is all set to convert the Punjab Right to Service Ordinance, 2011 into an Act while on the other, the Opposition Congress is preparing to intensify attacks on the Badal Government for its failure on fronts like transport policy and corruption among others.
Earlier, the issue of clemency for death-row convict Devinderpal Singh Bhullar dominated the political discourse but with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal clarifying that a resolution was unlikely in the current Session, the Opposition is likely to take up other issues. Among such issues is the Government’s handling of the flood situation and farmers’ resentment against setting up of Gobindpura thermal plant as well subsidy on kerosene, non-implementation of Central schemes, failure in handling Hansi-Butana matter, deteriorating law and order situation, misuse of civil and police administration etc.
The Opposition, however, may too face attack over Congress-led Centre’s alleged bias against the State.
After the State Cabinet reshuffle, this will be first full-fledged Session for the newly inducted Ministers — former Deputy Speaker Satpal Gosain, Surjit Kumar Jiyani and Arunesh Shakir. Tikshan Sud will be seen as the leader of BJP legislative party; his predecessor, Manoranjan Kalia will be also present, along with former Minister Swarna Ram. Ludhiana’s ex-MLA Harish Rai Dhanda, who resigned from the membership, will not occupy the treasury benches.
Last Session for current regime
This Assembly Session will be the last Session for the current SAD-BJP alliance in the State. Congress will try to extract maximum benefit from the final showdown in the build-up to the approaching Assembly polls.
Enacting Right to Service Ordinance
The major legislative task for the current regime during this Session would be the conversion Punjab Right to Service Ordinance, 2011 into an Act. The Act, aiming at ensuring accountability of the official machinery and to provide time bound delivery of 62 citizen-centric services — 42 civil and 20 police — to citizens, is expected to go a long way in helping the alliance in its run-up to the Assembly polls. Under the proposed Act, a provision of punishment for civil servants in case they fail to comply within the prescribed timeframe will also improve the administrative functioning, eventually winning favours of the voters. Regarded a “dream project” of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, the Government has pinned considerable hope on its implementation.
Other proposed Bills
Other Bills are also proposed to be laid on the table of the House for approval including the Punjab Civil Services (Rationalisation of Certain Conditions of Service) Repeal Ordinance, 2011; the Punjab Value Added Tax (Fourth Amendment) Ordinance, 2011 (Punjab Ordinance No 10 of 2011) and Punjab Value Added Tax (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2011 (Punjab Ordinance No 9 of 2011). The Government will also propose to amend Section 27(1) and (2) of Punjab VAT Act, 2005 to enhance the rate of tax on work contract from four per cent to five per cent through an Ordinance, Section 27 of Punjab Land Reforms Act, 1972, amendment in different sections, sub-sections and preamble of Punjab Tax on Entry into Goods into Local Areas Act, 2000, amendment in Punjab Health Systems Corporation Act 1996 (Punjab Act No 6 of 1996), amendment in the sub Section 1 of clause B of Section 27 of Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887, amendment in Section 16 and 18 of Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887, into Acts through presentation of a Bill in the session.
Issues to be raised
On one hand, where the Opposition is all armed with scam allegations against the Government, havoc caused by floods, farmers’ resentment against setting up of Gobindpura thermal plant, subsidy on kerosene, rampant corruptions, dissatisfaction among employees, political vendetta, precarious financial situation, increasing drug menace and deteriorating law and order situation; the Akali-BJP combine will launch a scathing attack on the Congress for its failure to control prices and corruption at the Centre.
On one hand, the Government is all set to convert the Punjab Right to Service Ordinance, 2011 into an Act while on the other, the Opposition Congress is preparing to intensify attacks on the Badal Government for its failure on fronts like transport policy and corruption among others.
Earlier, the issue of clemency for death-row convict Devinderpal Singh Bhullar dominated the political discourse but with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal clarifying that a resolution was unlikely in the current Session, the Opposition is likely to take up other issues. Among such issues is the Government’s handling of the flood situation and farmers’ resentment against setting up of Gobindpura thermal plant as well subsidy on kerosene, non-implementation of Central schemes, failure in handling Hansi-Butana matter, deteriorating law and order situation, misuse of civil and police administration etc.
The Opposition, however, may too face attack over Congress-led Centre’s alleged bias against the State.
After the State Cabinet reshuffle, this will be first full-fledged Session for the newly inducted Ministers — former Deputy Speaker Satpal Gosain, Surjit Kumar Jiyani and Arunesh Shakir. Tikshan Sud will be seen as the leader of BJP legislative party; his predecessor, Manoranjan Kalia will be also present, along with former Minister Swarna Ram. Ludhiana’s ex-MLA Harish Rai Dhanda, who resigned from the membership, will not occupy the treasury benches.
Last Session for current regime
This Assembly Session will be the last Session for the current SAD-BJP alliance in the State. Congress will try to extract maximum benefit from the final showdown in the build-up to the approaching Assembly polls.
Enacting Right to Service Ordinance
The major legislative task for the current regime during this Session would be the conversion Punjab Right to Service Ordinance, 2011 into an Act. The Act, aiming at ensuring accountability of the official machinery and to provide time bound delivery of 62 citizen-centric services — 42 civil and 20 police — to citizens, is expected to go a long way in helping the alliance in its run-up to the Assembly polls. Under the proposed Act, a provision of punishment for civil servants in case they fail to comply within the prescribed timeframe will also improve the administrative functioning, eventually winning favours of the voters. Regarded a “dream project” of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, the Government has pinned considerable hope on its implementation.
Other proposed Bills
Other Bills are also proposed to be laid on the table of the House for approval including the Punjab Civil Services (Rationalisation of Certain Conditions of Service) Repeal Ordinance, 2011; the Punjab Value Added Tax (Fourth Amendment) Ordinance, 2011 (Punjab Ordinance No 10 of 2011) and Punjab Value Added Tax (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2011 (Punjab Ordinance No 9 of 2011). The Government will also propose to amend Section 27(1) and (2) of Punjab VAT Act, 2005 to enhance the rate of tax on work contract from four per cent to five per cent through an Ordinance, Section 27 of Punjab Land Reforms Act, 1972, amendment in different sections, sub-sections and preamble of Punjab Tax on Entry into Goods into Local Areas Act, 2000, amendment in Punjab Health Systems Corporation Act 1996 (Punjab Act No 6 of 1996), amendment in the sub Section 1 of clause B of Section 27 of Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887, amendment in Section 16 and 18 of Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887, into Acts through presentation of a Bill in the session.
Issues to be raised
On one hand, where the Opposition is all armed with scam allegations against the Government, havoc caused by floods, farmers’ resentment against setting up of Gobindpura thermal plant, subsidy on kerosene, rampant corruptions, dissatisfaction among employees, political vendetta, precarious financial situation, increasing drug menace and deteriorating law and order situation; the Akali-BJP combine will launch a scathing attack on the Congress for its failure to control prices and corruption at the Centre.
