Sikkim assembly passes supplementary demand for grants

The Sikkim assembly passed a supplementary demand for grant of Rs 455.07 crore in the fiscal year 2009-10 on the second and final day of the two-day second part of the winter session today.
     
It took a brief one-minute for the 32-member strong Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) legislature party to approve the supplementary demand for grants unanimously and without discussion.
     
Chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, in his capacity as finance minister, had tabled the supplementary demand for grants of Rs 455.07 crore, comprising Rs 304.46 crore on revenue account and Rs 150.61 crore on capital account for 2009-10 for approval of the house.

Tabling the demand, Chamling said excess expenditure has been incurred due to revision of pay and other priority items of the state government.

The house also passed bills to hike the salaries and allowances of the chief minister, ministers, speaker and other members of the house and pension for the ex-MLAs.

Another major legislation to amend the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) for increasing the duration of judicial remand of undertrial prisoners for 30 days at a time was also passed by the assembly.
     
In all, it book barely 25 minutes for the lawmakers to dispose of legislative business without any discussion. Speaker Gyaltsen adjourned the house sine die.