In a move to push for greater use of Hindi language in the State, Haryana Cabinet on Friday decided to request the Governor to take the President’s consent in authorising the use of Hindi, in addition to English, for judgements, decrees or orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court pertaining to the state.
The cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal also approved the proposal of bringing an amendment to the Haryana Official Language Act of 1969, enabling the use of Hindi for the purpose of proceedings, judgment, decrees or orders passed or made by the lower courts and tribunals.
In its first meeting this year, the cabinet discussed around 26 agendas and gave nod to proposals related to promotion of Hindi language, formation of a cabinet sub-committee, convening of Vidhan Sabha session from January 20, creation of new Department i.e. Citizen Resources Information Department among others decisions.
Briefing the mediapersons after the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Manohar Lal said that the government has decided to request Haryana Governor to take consent of President to authorize the use of Hindi language, in addition to English language, for the purpose of proceedings, any judgement, decree or orders passed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court pertaining to jurisdiction of Haryana.
Article 348 of the Constitution provides that until Parliament by law otherwise provides, all proceedings in the Supreme Court and in every High Court shall be in the English.
It further provides that the Governor of a State may, with the consent of the President, authorise the use of Hindi, or any other language used in the State for any official purpose, in proceedings in the High Court.
The Chief Minister said that the government had received a demand letter signed by 78 MLAs, the Advocate General and hundreds of advocates for the use of Hindi.
The use of Hindi would help people of the state understand the entire judicial process in their own language, and would enable them to easily put their views before the courts, he added.
The Haryana Cabinet also approved the proposal of bringing an amendment to the Haryana Official Language Act of 1969, enabling the use Hindi for the purpose of proceedings, judgment, decrees or orders passed or made by the lower courts and tribunals, Manohar Lal said.
The neighboring Punjab had done this a long time back and Punjabi language is being used in official work of lower courts in the state, he added.
Being a Hindi language region, Haryana came into existence in the year 1966 as a separate state.
In 1969, under Section 3 of the Haryana Official Language Act, Hindi was made official language of Haryana.
Since then, Hindi language is being used mostly as the language of administration.
Social security pension enhanced
The cabinet has enhanced all monthly social security pensions and Old Age pension from Rs 2000 to Rs 2250.
The decision would put an additional financial burden of about Rs 70 crore per month on state exchequer, the Chief Minister said.
He also announced to enhance the monthly pension of workers of above 60 years of age which are registered under the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board from Rs 2500 to Rs 2750. At present, about 28 lakh beneficiaries are getting the benefit of these pensions, he added.
The Chief Minister said that earlier, the State Government has enhanced the pension being admissible to the workers of Other Construction Workers Welfare Board from Rs 1500 per month to Rs 2500 per month. Now, it has been decided to further enhance it to Rs 2750 per month. At present, 570 workers are getting the benefit of this pension, he added.
Creation of new Dept for common database of residents
A new Department namely Citizen Resources Information Department (Nagrik Sansadhan Suchna Vibhag) will be created in Haryana.
In order to provide an impetus for the Parivar Pehchan Patra for preparing a common database for implementation of Government schemes and delivery of Government services through the digital medium, the Chief Minister said.
The new Department will be dealing the various subjects namely, Parivar Pehchan Patra, Development of Citizen Resource's inventory as a common database with the use of informatics and information infrastructure, Promotion and development of common database across Departments, common networks and informatics including geoinformatics for delivery of Government to citizen services, Manohar Lal said.
The Department will also work to establish a linked database connecting individual, family and property data for utilization by other Government Departments and agencies in the delivery of Government services by the Departments and agencies.
Vidhan Sabha session from Jan 22
Haryana Vidhan Sabha Session will commence on January 20 and likely to continue till January 22.
The reservation for SCs, STs and Anglo Indians given for the past 70 years in Lok Sabha and state assemblies was due to end on January 25, 2020, necessitating the Constitution amendment bill. The Parliament recently passed a Constitution (Amendment) Bill in this regard and the legislation has to be ratified by state legislatures before it becomes a law, Manohar Lal said.
He said that Governor's address will also be part of the session, which will go on till January 22.
There will also be a training session for the elected legislators, he added
Govt extend ambit for financial aid to acid attack victims
The cabinet gave approval to the Amendment to the scheme - Financial Assistance to Women and Girl Acid Attack Victims. The existing scheme is giving financial assistance only to any woman or girl victim, who had faced an acid attack on or after May 2, 2011, and those who have been residing in Haryana for at least three years prior to the date of occurrence.
While, after the amendment, any woman or girl victim who has faced acid attack residing in the State of Haryana will be eligible for financial benefit in this scheme. However, financial assistance will be given from the current date after she has applied for financial assistance under the scheme. The Cabinet has also decided that no arrears to such acid attack victims will be given.