Vigilance Commission Bill among 7 cleared by Punjab House

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh. (File)

The third and the concluding day of special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday saw the House clearing seven Bills, including the Punjab State Vigilance Commission Bill, 2020 which seeks to pave way for the establishment of a multi-member panel for bringing in more transparency and checking corruption among public servants.

Tabling the Punjab State Vigilance Commission Bill, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said the Commission has been visualised as an independent body in order to provide clean, fair and transparent administration. It will effectively exercise superintendence and control over the functioning of Vigilance Bureau and other departments of the state government.

The Vigilance Commission will review the progress of investigations conducted by the Vigilance Bureau and cases of prosecution sanction pending with various departments of the government. It has also been empowered to inquire or cause an inquiry or investigation to be made in respect of allegations made under the Prevention of Corruption Act and other relevant offences against public servants.

Presenting the Punjab Bhondedar, Butemar, Dohlidar, Insar Miadi, Mukarraridar, Mundhimar, Panahi Qadeem, Saunjidar or Taraddadkar (Vesting of Proprietary Rights) Bill, 2020, Revenue Minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar said that the proposed legislation aims to confer proprietary rights upon specified categories in occupation of agrarian land recorded in revenue record for a period of at least 20 years on the appointed day, that is January 1, 2020, and includes their predecessors and the successors-in-interest, before the coming into force of this legislation.

These tenants have been in occupation of small parcels of land for several years and inherit their rights by succession from generation to generation adding that since they were not recorded as owners, they could neither access financial institutions for crop loans nor get calamity relief.

Tabling the Punjab (Welfare and Settlement of Small and Marginal Farmers) Allotment of State Government Land Bill, 2020, the Revenue Minister said that it envisages allotment of land in occupation and cultivation of small and marginal farmers for more than 10 years to such farmers against a reasonable pre-determined price thereby ensuring protection of the interests of both the farmers and the state government.

Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal presented The Punjab Tissue Culture Based Seed Potato Bill, 2020. The Bill aims at giving boost to potato farmers’ income by allowing production of quality seed potato through tissue culture based technology, using aeroponics/net house facilities, along with the certification of seed potato and its successive generations.

Tabling the Registration (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2020, Revenue Minister said that the Registration Act, 1908 does not fully empower the revenue officers to refuse registering sale deed so a need was felt to empower them to do so for safeguarding ownership of central and state government lands, Waqf lands, Shamlat lands and such others for bringing efficiency in implementation of provisions in related state and central Acts. Through the amendment, an enabling provision has been inserted in Registration Act 1908 empowering the revenue officers to refuse registration of sale or purchase of central and state government lands, Waqf lands, Shamlat lands and others.

Green Nod To…

The Punjab Bhondedar, Butemar, Dohlidar, Insar Miadi, Mukarraridar, Mundhimar, Panahi Qadeem, Saunjidar or Taraddadkar (Vesting of Proprietary Rights) Bill, 2020’

Punjab State Vigilance Commission Bill, 2020

The Registration (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2020

The Punjab Tissue Culture Based Seed Potato Bill, 2020

The Punjab Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 2020

The Punjab (Welfare and settlement of Landless, Marginal and Small Occupant Farmers) Allotment of State Government Land Bill 2020

The Factories (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020

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