Cabinet decision on ex-Legislators pension revision arrears today: JAMMU: State Cabinet, which is meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah tomorrow evening, is likely to accord sanction to the amendment in the J&K State Legislature Members Pension Act, 2011 in order to provide pension revision arrears to the former Legislators on the pattern of sitting Legislators of the State. The Cabinet will also take decision on the proposal regarding implementation of Parkachik-Panikher HEP on river Suru in Ladakh and Shutkari Kulan HEP on river Sindh at Sonamarg by the Independent Power Producers selected through a new mode—Swiss Challenge Method. Official sources told that the pension of ex-Legislators is governed by the J&K State Legislature Members’ Pension Act, 1984 and this Act was amended in the year 2011 with April 21, 2011 as its date of commencement. However, the salaries and allowances of the Members, Ministers and Deputy Ministers were enhanced with September 1, 2009 as date of enforcement. Since then there has been constant demand from the ex-Legislators for payment of arrears of pension with effect from September 1, 2009 instead of April 21, 2011 as has been done in case of sitting Members of the State Legislature, sources said. The ex-Legislators even raised this issue before the Chief Minister and Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. “Now, the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Department has decided to make payment of pension revision arrears in favour of ex-Legislators for the period between September 1, 2009 to April 20, 2011 for which J&K State Legislature Members Pension Act, 2011 is required to be amended”, they said. “A formal proposal in this regard is being placed before the Cabinet for its nod, which is imperative to place amendment bill in the Legislature during its ongoing session”, sources added. The Cabinet will also discuss the proposal seeking implementation of Parkachik-Panikher HEP on river Suru in Ladakh and Shutkari Kulan HEP on river Sindh at Sonamarg by Independent Power Producers under the Swiss Challenge Method. It is pertinent to mention here that Swiss Challenge Method of award of contract, in which the proposer has the first right of refusal after a bidding process, has already received in principle approval of the Supreme Court which has stated that Swiss Challenge Method falls within the realm of executive discretion and there is neither arbitrariness nor unreasonableness in this process. The Method is universally accepted as a mode of competitive bidding. These two projects were under the consideration for implementation from a very long time. In respect of Parkachik-Panikher HEP, the JKSPDC has received an unsolicited proposal from M/s HCC Projects Limited for implementation of the project through Swiss Challenge Mode. Similarly, in respect of Shutkari-Kulan HEP an unsolicited proposal has been received from M/s Shapoorji Pallonji Infrastructure Company Ltd. As JKSPDC was keen to expeditiously develop these two projects and the companies have reasonable experience in implementing infrastructure projects, the proposal was placed before Board of Directors of JKSPDC early this year and the Board passed the proposal with several resolutions. The Board of Directors has stated that Swiss Challenge Method is one of the many other modes available for the execution/ implementation of the power projects. “Now, a formal proposal by incorporating all the suggestions made by the Board of Directors, is being placed before the Cabinet for final decision on adopting of new mode”, sources said.
Posted on: Fri, 04 Oct 2013 05:51:18 +0000
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