Pension of ex-MLAs in Punjab hiked

Pension of former MLAs in Punjab will now go up by at least Rs 5,000 per month, with the state assembly today passing a bill in this regard, a step that will entail an additional expenditure of about Rs 8.97 crore per annum.
The Punjab State Legislature Members (Pension and Medical Facilities Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016 was passed amid unruly scenes.
The pension will now be enhanced from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 for those who have served one term and from Rs 7,500 to Rs 10,000 for each subsequent term.
With the passage of this bill, it is estimated that an additional expenditure of about Rs 8.97 crore per annum will be incurred on account of providing pension or an additional pension, as per financial memorandum of the Bill.

Meanwhile, the 14th Punjab Vidhan Sabha today passed as many as 21 Bills in just about an hour, amid ruckus in the assembly.
The Bills which were passed were Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development (Amendment)Bill, 2016, The Punjab Rural Development (Second Amendment) Bill, 2016, The Prisons (Punjab Amendment ) Repeal Bill, 2016, The Punjab Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2016 ( Replacing Ordinance), The Punjab Compulsory Registration of Marriages (Amendment) Bill, 2016, The Punjab Laws (Special Provision ) Bill, 2016, The Punjab State Commission for Minorities ( Second Amendment) Bill,2016, The Khalsa University Bill,2016, ( Replacing Ordinance), The Sri Guru Ram Das university of Health Sciences Bill, 2016, ( Replacing Ordinance), The Municipal Corporation ( Second Amendment) Bill, 2016, The Amritsar Culture and Tourism Development Authority Bill, 2016.

Besides, The Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Castes( Amendment) Bill, 2016, The East Punjab Holding ( Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Amendment Bill,2016, The Punjab State Legislature Members ( Pension and Medical Facilities Regulation) Amendment Bill,2016, The Punjab Right to Service ( Amendment) Bill, 2016 ( Replacing Ordinance), The Municipal Corporation ( Third Amendment) Bill, 2016, The Municipal Corporation ( Second Amendment) Bill, 2016, The Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion Bill, 2016, The Punjab State Legislature Members ( Pension and Medical Facilities Regulation) Second Amendment Bill,2016, The Punjab Khadi and Village Industries Board (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and The Indian Stamp ( Punjab Third Amendment) Bill, 2016 were also passed.

But the Minimum Wages (Punjab Amendment)Bill, 2015 was withdrawn.
The House also passed a resolution recommending that the matter of declaring the existing head office of State Bank of Patiala as a regional head office of State Bank of India shall be taken up with the government of India.
The House also passed a resolution praising Punjab government's efforts to preserve rich heritage and glorious past of the state which includes creation of memorial commemorating contributions of towering personalities, national heroes and martyrs who were hanged in second Lahore conspiracy case.