The Punjab Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has approved a two-day assembly session to be held on November 28 and 29. Addressing reporters, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the decision was taken after Governor Banwarilal Purohit postponed the budget. The session was held in March, news agency PTI reported.
Cheema highlighted that the upcoming session aims to pass the pending bills, including three important money bills. “The Assembly session will be held for two days in which various pending bills will be passed,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.
Notable bills to be introduced include 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 stressed upon the Governor to expeditiously take decisions on the pending bills. The session will commence with the Tribute Reference on 28th November, the Business Advisory Committee will set the agenda of the session soon.
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The budget session, which was initially called in March and was postponed indefinitely, faced a controversy between the state government and the Raj Bhavan. The AAP government proceeded with the sessions in June and October and passed the necessary bills which were awaiting the assent of the Governor. The Supreme Court intervened and urged for an early decision on the pending bills. The Governor ultimately approved two money bills and approved the third on 16 November.
Apart from announcing the Assembly session, the Cabinet approved 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, which aims to manage and regulate canals and drainage systems to ensure uninterrupted water supply for irrigation, news PTI reported.
Furthermore, the Cabinet supported the closure of the Punjab State Social Welfare Board, merging its employees with the Department of Social Security, Women and Child Development. Additionally, the cabinet reviewed one prisoner’s request for premature release and rejected four other cases, according to PTI.
