Shimla
Amid strong opposition and heated arguments in the Himachal Assembly on Friday, four bills , including the Himachal Pradesh Government Employees Recruitment and Conditions of Service Amendment Bill, Panchayati Raj Amendment Bill, and Amendment Bill in the Police Act, were passed. At the same time, as soon as the Bhujot Maximum Limit Amendment Bill is passed, now 30 acres of land of Bhota Hospital will be transferred. On the Contract Workers Bill, the Chief Minister said that the error has been rectified. Treating contract people at par with regular employees will put a burden on the government and will also affect seniority. On the other hand, the opposition said that it is not right to implement the amendment bill from the previous date; this will affect the promoted contract workers.
The conditions of service of regular and contract employees have been separated in the Recruitment and Conditions of Service Amendment Bill. Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu said that as per the contract policy, there is a difference between regular and contract services. It is necessary to define the service conditions of contract personnel differently from regular ones. He argued that treating contract personnel as similar to regular personnel would place a heavy burden on the state exchequer and also affect the seniority of regular personnel. Sukhu said that due to error, there was a need to demote regular employees, which should not happen. Some people are going to court, and decisions are coming from there also that benefits should be given from earlier dates; the number of such employees is not much.
BJP MLA Trilok Jamwal said that after 12 December 2003, a bill has been brought about for all those who are engaged on contract after losing till the Supreme Court. This amendment is coming into effect from a previous date. Contract employees will be troubled by this. What will happen to his promotion? Even if the government talks about implementing it from the next date, it can be considered. It should be withdrawn. BJP MLA Jeetram Katwal also said that the provision should not be implemented retrospectively. MLA Randhir Sharma said that the decision should be withdrawn instead of making it a question of prestige. BJP MLA Hansraj also said that the bill should be reconsidered.
Demand to send the bill of land transferred to charitable institutions to the select committee rejected; the bill passed
A bill to transfer 30 acres of land for charitable institutions was passed in the Himachal Assembly. The Bhujot Maximum Limit Amendment Bill 2024 was discussed in the House earlier. The opposition said that there should be no haste while passing it. Radhasoami Satsang organization should be helped, but the bill should first be sent to the Select Committee of the Assembly for discussion. The bill was passed by voice vote amid an altercation between the two sides. After the amendment bill is passed and it becomes law, Radhaswami Satsang will be able to transfer Beas Bhota Hospital and its land to Jagat Singh Seva Trust.
Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur said during the discussion that for me the state is above institution and organization. There is full respect for the organization, but before passing the bill, it should be sent to the select committee. After passing the bill, the Chief Minister thanked the Congress Legislature Party and said that the BJP MLAs did not support it. In a way, there was silent protest. Talking about sending it to the Select Committee is also a kind of opposition. It’s sad. Sukhu said that for him the interests of Himachal are paramount.
Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi said that this is a provision only for one time. Any religious, spiritual or charitable institution will be able to transfer land to another similar institution only up to 30 acres for similar works. BJP MLA Randhir Sharma said that BJP also wants that the problem of Radhasoami Beas organization should be solved, but this law should not be misused. Jairam Thakur said that Radhasoami organization has done well during the Covid period, but there is a possibility of misuse by other organizations. There was no haste in the matter even during Dhumal, Virbhadra and their time in the three governments. In the previous BJP government, this matter had come up to the cabinet, but it has become pending there. Chief Minister Sukhu said that the interests of Himachal will not be sold. The government is not giving land to any industrialist for one rupee, as happened in the previous government. He is helping organizations doing good work.
