Punjab Cabinet Approves Assembly Session On Nov 28-29 Amid Tussle With Guv Over Bill Passage

Punjab Cabinet greenlights two-day assembly session on Nov 28-29, addressing pending bills. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema urged swift decisions on the governor's part.

File Photo of Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Source : PTI

The Punjab Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has granted approval for a two-day assembly session scheduled for November 28 and 29. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, addressing reporters, stated that the decision was made after governor Banwarilal Purohit prorogued the Budget session held in March, news agency PTI reported.

Cheema highlighted that the upcoming session aims to pass pending bills, including three crucial money Bills. He stated, "The Vidhan Sabha session will be held for two days in which different Bills that have been pending will be passed", as quoted by PTI.

Among the notable bills to be tabled are the Punjab Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Indian Stamp (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2023.

Minister Cheema also emphasised the urgency for the governor to make decisions on pending bills. The session will commence with obituary references on November 28, with the Business Advisory Committee soon determining the session's agenda.

The Budget session, initially convened in March and adjourned sine die, faced contention between the state government and the Raj Bhavan. The AAP government extended the session in June and October, passing essential bills that await the governor's assent. The Supreme Court intervened, urging prompt decisions on the pending bills. The governor eventually cleared two money Bills and approved the third on November 16.

In addition to the assembly session announcement, the Cabinet sanctioned the creation and filling of nine technical cadre posts in Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Sports University, Patiala. It also approved the Punjab Canal and Drainage Bill, 2023, aimed at managing and regulating canals and drainage systems to ensure unhindered water supply for irrigation,news PTI reported.

Furthermore, the Cabinet endorsed the closure of the Punjab State Social Welfare Board, merging its staff into the Department of Social Security, Women, and Child Development. Additionally, the Cabinet reviewed a prisoner's request for premature release and rejected four other cases, as per PTI.