The Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday passed 10 important Bills, with Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh moving key legislations aimed at boosting police efficacy and promoting e-governance.The Bills passed by the House included those relating to amendments to the Local Government, Health & Family Welfare, Housing & Urban Development, Social Security, Home, PWD (B&R), for initiating crucial reforms in various sectors.The Bills were passed on the last day of the 4th Session of the 15th Punjab Vidhan Sabha after the Speaker put them to vote following detailed discussions by members of the ruling party and the opposition.Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra earlier sought permission from the Speaker to carry out the proceedings of legislative business.Captain Amarinder Singh moved the Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2018 to replace the Punjab Police (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 with a view to increasing the efficacy of police action against heinous crimes endangering public life and property. The Bill is aimed at establishing Special Operations Group capable of countering and neutralizing those indulging in such crimes. The Special Operations Group will have Police Personnel with world class training and the highest degree of commitment to counter threats to public safety and security. Further, segregation of Investigation Wing of Police from Law and Order Machinery is also aimed at encouraging more professionalization and specialization in the Police.The Chief Minister also moved The Punjab Transparency and Accountability in Delivery of Public Service Bill, 2018 to provide all the service to the citizens through online mode, in a transparent, accountable and time-bound manner with effective use of digital technology. This will help in ensuring good governance characterized by efficiency, effectiveness and transparency. The new legislation will replace the existing ‘Right to Service Act, 2011’.
The Chief Minister also moved The Punjab Laws (Special Provisions for Regulation of Unauthorized Colonies) Bill, 2018 to make special provisions for better planning and regulating the development of unauthorized colonies, plots and buildings falling in unauthorized colonies, which are causing infrastructure and public safety issues in the state of Punjab and for the matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Affairs and Health Minister Brahm Mohindra moved the Salaries and Allowances of Deputy Ministers, Punjab (Amendment) Bill, 2018, the East Punjab Ministers’ Salaries, (Amendment) Bill, 2018, the Salary and Allowances of Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly (Amendment) Bill, 2018 by which now the income tax of Chief Minister, other Ministers and Leader of Opposition would be paid by themselves from March 2018.Brahm Mohindra also moved the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018 for the prohibition of hookah/sheesha Bars in Punjab.
Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal moved the Punjab Social Security Bill, 2018 in the House to provide for social services in form of pension to senior citizens, old-aged, widows, destitute women, physically challenged persons, health and accident insurance, scholarship for education of children belonging to deprived sections, and such other financial assistance to poor and needy as may be considered necessary. The fund will provide a dedicated corpus to meet its social security obligations in a regular manner. He also moved The Punjab State Development Tax Bill, 2018.PWD Minister Razia Sultana moved the Punjab Roads and Bridges Development Board (Amendment) Bill, 2018 to provide for payment of salary and other miscellaneous expenditure of the Board from the Punjab Roads and Bridges Development Board Fund. The Board shall be able to do so with the approval of the State Government.Apart from these Bills, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra also sought permission from the Speaker to lay the Report of Justice J.S. Narang (Retd.) Commission of Inquiry along with action taken on its Recommendations on the table of the House as required under Section 3(4) of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952.Earlier, the SC/BC Welfare Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot withdrew Punjab State Commission for Scheduled castes (Amendment) Bill. 2018 in the House.