PANJIM: The Dr Pramod Sawant led government introduced five Bills on the second day of the four-day Winter Session of Goa Legislative Assembly.
The five Bills were – The Goa Staff Selection Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021, The Goa Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2021, The Goa (Regulation of House Advance) Bill, 2021, The Goa Municipalities (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and The Goa Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
The Goa Municipalities (Amendment) Bill, 2021
The Bill seeks to amend section 2 of the Goa Municipalities Act, 1968 (Act 7 of 1969) (hereinafter referred to as the “said Act”) so as to define the term “voters” for the purpose of the said Act.
The Bill further seeks to amend section 9 of the said Act so as to ensure fair elections with proper representation for the people from all the wards in accordance with updated list of voters in the municipal areas.
The Bill also seeks to amend section 10 of the said Act so as to prescribe the time period between the date of notification of delimitation of wards and reservation of seats and the date of notification of the general election.
The Bill seeks to amend section 11 of the said Act to replace the expression ” Goa Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly” with the expression “Legislative Assembly of the State of Goa” in view of formation of the State of Goa by virtue of enactment of The Goa, Daman and Diu Reorganisation Act, 1987 (Act No. 18 of 1987) and to provide the minimum time period for keeping open the copies of the list of voters of each ward for public inspection at the municipal office and at such other places in the municipal area as the State Election Commission may fix.
The Goa (Regulation of House Advance) Bill, 2021
The Government of Goa for welfare and betterment of the State Government employees had initiated House Building Advance Rules/ Scheme vide Order No. 3/7/79-Fin(Exp) dated 12/ 12/1988.
The Government of Goa had enhanced maximum ceiling limit of house building advance from time to time for the Government employees of this State and vide Office Memorandum No.8/3/ 2013 Fin (R & C) (Part -I) dated 26/08/2014 current ceiling limit is fixed at Rs.36.00 lakhs and quantum to be admissible to employee is dependent upon length of service left and repaying capacity of such Government employee at concessional rate of 2% per annum. The difference between the rate charged by the Bank and the interest rate payable by Government employee was borne by the Government. Hence, the Government had to bear the entire difference between interest at prevailing bank rate and interest at subsidized rate i.e approximately Rs. 19.70 crores per year for 1955 beneficiaries.
The State Government has implemented Scales under VIIth Pay Commission Recommendations with effect from 01.01.2016 which are much higher than the scales existing under Vth Pay Commission Recommendations. There has been tremendous pressure on the State finances due to the COVID . 19 pandemic in the year 2020 necessitating reduction in committed Government expenditure.
The Governor of Goa had promulgated the Goa (Regulation of House Building Advance) Ordinance, 2020 so as to do away with House Building Advance Scheme/Rules applicable Government employees and benefits thereunder with effect from 15th day of May, 2020.
This Bill seeks to repeal the Goa (Regulation of House Building Advance) Ordinance, 2020 promulgated by the Governor of Goa on 12th day of September, 2020.
The Goa Staff Selection Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021
The Government has established Goa Staff Selection Commission and framed the Goa Staff Selection Commission Rules, 2020. However, the work of finalizing the regulations is under process The Government had banned recruitment in Government Departments since 2016 and the Government had deferred recruitment up to November, 2020, which has led to large scale vacancies in Government Departments. Therefore, there is a need to fill up the vacant posts on priority to strengthen the administrative machinery.
Considering the time required for finalizing the regulations, putting in place the required infrastructure for Staff Selection Commission and the requirement of sending the staff associated with the Commission for training in conducting mass scale recruitment, use of latest technology for transparent examination process among other similar initiatives, the recruitment through Staff Selection Commission will require some time.
In order to address the issue of shortage of critical manpower in various Departments, this Bill seeks to amend section 7 of the Goa Staff Selection Commission Act, 2019 (Goa Act 11 of 2019) so as to make enabling provision for the Government Departments to conduct examinations and select candidates for appointment to sub-ordinate services/posts after obtaining prior approval from the Department of Personnel, Government of Goa. The said provision will remain in force for a period of two years from the date of commencement of the Goa Staff Selection Commission (Amendment) Act, 2021.
The Goa Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2021
The Bill seeks to amend sections 2, 9, 10, 13, 16, 16A, 17 and 27 of the Goa Lokayukta Act, 2011(Goa Act 3 of 2012) with a view to bring the Goa Lokayukta Act in line with the provisions of the Constitution of India, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 as amended vide the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018.
The Bill also seeks to amend sub-section (2) of section 3 of the Goa Lokayukta Act, 2011(Goa Act 3 of 2012) so as to provide that a person to be appointed as the Lokayukta shall be a person who has held the office of a Judge of the Supreme Court, or a retired Judge of the High Court and to provide that a person to be appointed as Upa-Lokayukta shall be an eminent person who is of an impeccable integrity and outstanding ability having special knowledge and expertise of not less than twenty years in the matters relating to public administration or finance; including insurance and banking or law or anti-corruption policy or management, as there is difficulty in obtaining the willingness from eligible retired Supreme Court Judges or retired High Court Chief Justices for appointment as Goa Lokayukta.
The Goa Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) (Amendment) Bill, 2021
The Bill seeks to amend sections 2 and 7 of the Goa Non- Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act, 1996 (Goa Act 5 of 1997), so as to provide for levy of cess at the rate not exceeding two percent of consideration received on outward supply of goods. This amendment was needed in view of enactment of the Goa Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (Goa Act 4 of 2017) in the State of Goa.
The Bill also seeks to repeal the Goa Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 (Ordinance No. 11 of 2020) promulgated by the Governor of Goa on 09-10-2020.