With the budget crisis plunging the State into an unprecedented financial logjam, the State Cabinet, which met on Monday at the Secretariat, decided to hold a special session of the Vidhan Sabha on July 4 and 5 to explore ways to salvage the situation.
It is learnt that the minutes of the session will be finalized by the State Parliamentary Affairs Minister who would convene a meeting of the business advisory committee (BAC) for the purpose. Quizzed by the media to spell out the likely agenda of the special session, the Chief Secretary chose to remain tight-lipped. Meanwhile, the Cabinet is learnt to have empowered the Chief Secretary to study the legal aspects involved in the matter regarding the stalled budget and suggest what would be the best option under the given circumstances.
The Cabinet has decided that the Chief Minister would again appeal to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter. This is because of the fact that the Governor referred the Bill, claimed to have been passed on the night of March 18, to the President of India without putting his insignia. Things hanging fire, the Centre passed a vote-on-account for four months for the State. The time ending next month, the State is immersed in an enormous financial uncertainty, an imbroglio that can be resolved only through the generous intervention of the PM, the Cabinet said.
Besides, the Cabinet has cleared a host of steps to ameliorate the hardships of the weaker sections of the society. To help the Divyaang (physically handicapped) category people, the Cabinet decided to constitute a commission. The people from the targeted community would fill half of the places while the rest would be filled by the members of the bureaucracy and NGOs in equal proportions of 25 per cent.
The Cabinet has also decided to fill all the backlog of SC/ST/Divyaang by next two to three months. Two schools meant for the deaf and dumb would be established, one each in Garhwal and Kumaon divisions. The schools will be given special aids by the State Government.
What is more, the Cabinet has decided not to insist on the presentation of the Aadhar card previously mandatory for the Divyaang people to draw pension. This is because of the fact that the Divyaang cannot give their finger prints with most of them not having all the fingers.
Disclosing this, the Chief Secretary said after the Cabinet meeting was over that the State Government would earmark one ITI where one Divyaang woman and one man will be appointed as faculty.
later, an ITI will be dedicated to the Divyaang if enough manpower is found from that category people.
The Cabinet has taken another important decision. With the higher education department having several vacant posts, remaining unfulfilled due to lengthy procedure involving the Public Service Commission, these posts have been taken out of the purview of PSC.
The Cabinet has also empowered the Chief Secretary to study the feasibility of the constitution of two commissions - Kissan Aayog (farmers' commission) and Shilf Samvardhan Ayoga (artisans' promotion commission). The CS has been asked to submit the proposal at the next Cabinet meeting.
Following on the recommendation of the industries' association, the Cabinet has decided to evaluate the industrial investment on the pattern of 2004. For this, the chartered accountant (CA)-made audits will be acceptable to fix which of the industries have made investment to the tune of Rs 25 crore and more. There is a ceiling in Central sales tax if the industry invests Rs 25 crore. Once things are clear they would get one percent rebate on it.
This aside, the Cabinet has given relief on VAT Act. As per the VAT secion 31, there is a provision that will have to deposit specific amount before making an appeal. Now they can appeal without paying any fee as per the Cabinet decision. However, the disposal authority has been asked to clear things within three months.
The Cabinet has also given relief on water tariff. As per the notification of year 2013, water tariff was being increased 15 percent annually, but now the Cabinet has reduced the tariff hike. The tariff would stand at 9 and 11 percent annually. Small and medium consumer tariff would be increased by 9 percent while high end consumer tariff would be increased by 11 percent annually.