Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 4: The Ministers today contradicted each other in the Assembly on two occasions.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saifullah Mir told the agitated members that a proposal has been formulated for raising medical allowance of former legislators from Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 and payment of their pension arrears.
NC MLA and former Minister Javed Dar had raised the issue of medical allowance and pension arrears of former legislators during Zero Hour in the Assembly.
Congress MLAs including Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, Mohammad Sharief Niaz, Ashok Kumar and Krishen Chander Bhagat and National Panthers Party legislator Balwant Singh Mankotia also supported the issue.
The members said the proposal for raising medical of former legislators and payment of their pension arrears should be cleared immediately.
Responding to concern expressed by the MLAs, Saifullah Mir said a proposal for raising medical of the former legislators and payment of their pension arrears has been cleared and sent to the Finance Minister.
However, Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather, who was present in the House, got up from his seat and clarified that there was no such proposal with him.
The Law Minister insisted that it was in his (the Finance Minister’s) Department.
“May be it was not on the table of the Minister. But it is in his Department,’’ Saifullah said, adding the proposal was aimed at increasing medical allowance of former legislators from Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 and clearance of their pension arrears.
Speaker Mubarak Gul said the Finance Minister would have a look on the proposal and approve it.
Several MLAs raised the issue saying financial condition of many former legislators was not good and their pension arrears were required to be cleared immediately and medical allowance enhanced.
Again when private member’s bill of Engineer Rashid pertaining to amendment in Civil Services Decentralisation and Recruitment Act was taken up, Planning Minister Ajay Sadhotra stood up and opposed introduction of the bill.
The Law Minister said Mr Sadhotra might have some confusion as this was not his bill.
“I allow introduction of the bill,’’ Saifullah Mir said.
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