SRINAGAR: Lauding Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra for raising objections to a Bill aimed at giving retrospective effect to hike in pension of former legislators, the Communist Party of India (M) too has expressed dissent with the bill.
State secretary of the CPI(M) Mohammad Yousuf Targami appreciated the Governor’s decision to return the Bill without approval.
While expressing reservations on the Bill seeking amendments to State Legislature Members Pension Act by virtue of which the former legislators would be entitled to payment of revised pension arrears for the period from September 1, 2009 to April 20, 2011, Mr Tarigami said it seems the government has not taken ground realities into consideration before getting the Bill cleared by the Cabinet.
“I think the government has forgotten about its commitment to the aged, widows and orphans who are yet to see any increase in their paltry pensions,” he said here today.
“Price rise and inflation is not a problem faced only by legislators but the common man are equally plagued by it.
Approval of this Bill would have sent a wrong message to the people who have elected us to represent them not to break their backs by phenomenal increase in our salaries and pensions,” Mr Tarigami observed.
He questioned the timing of the Bill by citing high unemployment among youth in the state and workers engaged in PDD, RDD, floriculture, agriculture, hydraulic and other departments living without wages for months.
Official sources said the Bill was cleared by the state cabinet on October 4 for its introduction in the Legislative Assembly and Council. The Bill seeks amendments in the J&K State Legislature Members Pension Act.
The Bill, however, was sent to the Governor to get his prior sanction for its introduction in the Legislature as J&K Constitution makes it mandatory for any money bill to get prior approval of the Governor before its introduction in the State Legislature.
Sources said the Governor expressed reservations on the Bill citing poor financial condition of the state. The Bill was sent back with queries on October 10, a day after the Assembly session was adjourned sine-die.
