AAP urges govt not to override rights of Punjab govt in Chandigarh admin
Darpan News Desk IANS, 30 Mar, 2022 10:59 AM
New Delhi, March 30 (IANS) Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh on Wednesday urged the union government not to override the rights of the elected government of Punjab by implementing the central laws on the administration of Chandigarh, a Union Territory.
Raising the issue during 'Zero Hour' in the Rajya Sabha, Singh said that the state of Punjab does not have its own capital like other states. He further said that Chandigarh was made joint capital of Punjab and Haryana in 1966 and under the provision of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, the state of Punjab is providing 60 per cent staff to the UT administration whereas Haryana is providing 40 per cent for the same.
"Recently, the central government intends to implement central laws on the Chandigarh Administration. Newly elected Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has decided to regularise all contractual employees of Punjab. If the central laws will be applied on the Chandigarh UT, then many of the contractual employees working in the UT office will be barred from these facilities," Singh further said.
He also urged the government not to encroach the rights of the Punjab government.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 27 had announced that Central Civil Service Rules will be implemented for all employees under Chandigarh Administration.
This decision has evoked sharp criticism from Punjab leaders who, cutting across party lines, termed it "an encroachment on Punjab's rights".
If the Central Civil Service Rules are implemented, all employees will get the pay scale under the Central service rules but also this will enhance the retirement age from 58 to 60 years and the maternity leave will be extended to two years from existing one year instead of existing one year for women employees.
Earlier, Dhesi sent a letter, signed by over 100 British MPs and Lords, to Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the ongoing farmers' protests, asking him to raise this matter with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi when they next liaise.
The Chief Minister told the media here that for more than a year since the Central government had brought three agriculture laws for the benefit of farmers, especially small and marginal ones, unfortunately, some farmer unions had been protesting on the Delhi borders.
While the Centre's announcement to repeal three farm laws is seen as a political decision with eye on forthcoming assembly polls in five states, the BJP claims that it has nothing to do with elections as the party has won many states after laws were passed by the Parliament.
On January 12 this year, the Supreme Court had stayed the implementation of the three farm laws after scores of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh pitched their tents on various Delhi borders in protest against the three laws.
A nine-member committee of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the consortium of protesting farmers' bodies, will be meeting on Saturday, and it is likely to put forth four main demands. The meeting will also decide whether the SKM will go ahead with the originally announced 'March Towards Delhi' programme on November 26.
Congress legislator and Punjab unit party president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday said the minimum support price (MSP) is the bigger issue than farm laws as it is the lifeline of farmers.
