- Bill to give cabinet rank to Chief Whip Baljinder Kaur  - Bill to halve the members of Scheduled Castes Commission

CHANDIGARH: The last discussion of the Budget of Punjab Vidhan Sabha session which commenced from March 3 will be held today. Earlier, 8 discussions over budget session has took place. 

In the discussion on Wednesday morning, three important amendment bills are likely to be passed which will be the exclusive achievement of the 'AAP' government. Through the bill amending the Scheduled Caste Commission Act, 2004, the total number of members of this commission will be halved from 10 to 5 and the posts of Senior Vice Chairman and Vice Chairman will also be removed.

The state's 10-member Scheduled Castes Commission was formed in 2004 during the Congress government of Captain Amarinder Singh and after 19 years of two Akali-BJP governments and one Congress government, the current AAP government has halved the number of members. According to the 2011 census, 32 percent of Punjab's total population of 3 crore are Scheduled Castes. This ratio is higher than all states in Punjab.

Social Justice and Minority Empowerment Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur, in the 4-page amendment bill to be presented today have mentioned amendments in sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 20 and 22. Among the amendments to be made is to reduce the tenure of the member from 5 years to 3 years. In the second amendment bill, it is proposed to remove the positions of senior vice chairman and vice chairman in the Mandi Board Act, 1961 and keep only one position of chairman. Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal will present this bill in the Legislative Assembly.

In the third newly introduced bill, it is proposed to give cabinet rank to AAP chief whip, MLA from Talwandi Sabo, Baljinder Kaur. Along with this, provision of housing, ministerial salary, allowances, vehicle, staff, special assistants, advisers etc. to the Chief Whip is also included. In the bill, the annual expenditure is only Rs 14.66 lakh, which will be much more than this proposal. This bill will be presented in the Vidhan Sabha by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Inderbir Singh Nijjar today.