Shillong, September 14:: The Cabinet in its meeting on Wednesday evening, has approved the proposal of the Parliamentary Affairs Department for the Meghalaya Parliamentary Secretary (Appointments, Salaries, Allowances & Miscellaneous Provisions) Amendment Bill, 2016 and Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya (Members’ Salaries & Allowances) Amendment Bill, 2016, to be brought before the House in the ongoing Assembly Session in the form of regular Amendment Bill for its consideration. It also approved the proposed amendment to the Meghalaya Service Conduct Rules, which would include the Traditional bodies among the community-based organization that fall outside the purview of the Rule.
Addressing the Presspersons after the meeting, Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma said that the Meghalaya Parliamentary Secretaries’ Appointments, Salaries, Allowances & Miscellaneous Provision Amendment Bill, 2016 was proposed earlier in the form of Ordinance, but since the House was already summoned even before the Cabinet got the assent from the Governor in the promulgation of this ordinance, it had become necessary to introduce the same in the form of regular Amendment Bill. The relevant paragraphs which the amendment proposes to address are in respect of Sections 5, 6 and 6(a) and also amendment of Sec 3, and addition of Sec 6(a) and deletion of Sec. 8. The objective of this exercise is to ensure that there is complete clarity on appointment of Parliamentary Secretaries, their salaries & allowances and other provisions including perks and facilities, the Chief Minister said. The earlier Act referred the Parliamentary Secretaries equating them to the status of Ministers of State, so in order to avoid misinterpretation, this Amendment Bill is being proposed, he added.
The Chief Minister also said that in respect of salary, the Parliamentary Secretaries shall be entitled to the salaries & allowances as per the Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya Members’ Salaries & Allowances Act, 1972. Section 6(a) provides for the Government to provide such facilities to be indicated as their entitlement which will be notified by the Government from time to time.
In respect of the Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya Members’ Salaries & Allowances Amendment Bill, Minister in charge Parliamentary Affairs, M M Danggo said that in the Act of 1972, the sitting allowance of the members was Rs.200; now through the amendment last year it has been enhanced to Rs. 600. However, he said that was only for the sitting allowance during the sessions and the sitting allowance of the Assembly committees were not incorporated, therefore this amendment is being made in the section 4 of sub-clause 1 wherein the sitting allowance of the committee members would be at par with the sitting allowance of the Members of the Assembly, he added.
The Chief Minister also informed that the Cabinet has approved the proposal of Personnel Department for amendment of the Meghalaya Service Conduct Rules, which had ensured effective compliance of Government employees to furnish information whenever they are elected to such office as Association or any Society. Earlier, in the amendment, there was a note which says that “the term community-based organization, association, traditional body or society shall not include any faith-based and clan-based organization. Now under this proposed amendment, this will stand as “shall not include any faith-based organization, clan-based organization and the traditional bodies.” And wherever along with other association or organization, the term “traditional bodies” appear, they are going to be deleted, he said. The Chief Minister also said that this amendment was the outcome of our long drawn engagements and discussions with the stakeholders including the traditional bodies and is in sync with the popular sentiments, particularly the leaders “who have for all these years effectively contributed in the overall development activities by collaborating and partnering with the government in diverse fields for the benefit and welfare of the people”, he added.
During the course of the media briefing, it was informed that the High Court on Wednesday has accepted the proposal by the State Government for holding the by-elections to the seven seats in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Councils. Informing this, the District Council Affairs Minister Prestone Tynsong said that the Governement had filed the affidavit in the High Court after the Cabinet in its last meeting decided on proceeding with the by-election to these vacant seats, six in KHADC and one in JHADC. The High Court had once again sought for the affidavit from the Government, which was accordingly filed by the Government on September 12 last and the High Court on Wednesday has accepted the proposal of the Government to hold the by-elections.
