Jammu, Apr 01: The Zero Hour in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Wednesday witnessed wide-ranging deliberations, with the Members raising pressing public issues and seeking timely intervention from the government in redress of these concerns.
MLA Reyaz Ahmad Khan urged the government to take immediate steps to facilitate safe return of students from Jammu and Kashmir presently stranded in Iran. He emphasized the need for coordinated efforts to ensure their well-being and early evacuation.
MLA Shabir Ahmad Kullay called for constitution of a committee to examine the discrepancies between officially claimed sports infrastructure and the actual facilities available on the ground. He highlighted concerns over the mismatch between records and reality, stressing the importance of transparency and accountability.
MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia demanded prompt action on the findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), particularly regarding unspent and unaccounted funds in various government departments. He underscored the need for financial discipline and adherence to audit observations.
MLA Nizam-ud-din Bhat drew attention to the shortage of specialist medical staff at District Hospital Bandipora, specifically absence of a Surgeon Specialist following a recent retirement. He urged the concerned authorities to address the gap to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services to the public.
The House also witnessed detailed discussion on the issue of legislators’ salaries, allowances, and related privileges.
MLA Dr. Narinder Singh Raina advocated for a structured and periodic revision of legislators’ salaries, aligned with the patterns followed for government employees.
MLA Javid Hassan Baig emphasized that salaries constitute a legitimate entitlement of legislators and called for their rational revision in line with parliamentary practices, while maintaining discretion in public discourse given the diverse socio-economic backgrounds of Members.
Supporting this view, MLA Ranbir Singh Pathania stressed the need for an institutionalized mechanism for revising legislators’ emoluments. Referring to the principle articulated by former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, he noted that such matters should be addressed through an independent and credible framework, safeguarding the dignity and sovereignty of the House.
MLA Sajad Gani Lone described the issue as a test of the authority of the Legislature and called for a review of the factors delaying implementation of the House’s recommendations.
MLA Nizam-ud-din Bhat further linked the matter to broader concerns of legislators’ privileges and protocol, advocating for a comprehensive and merit-based resolution to settle the issue conclusively.
MLA Muzaffer Iqbal Khan observed that the proposed increase in salary was relatively modest, while a larger enhancement had been suggested in allowances to meet the growing expenditure associated with legislative responsibilities.
Reiterating his earlier concerns, MLA Shabir Ahmad Kullay highlighted the need to enhance the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocated to legislators. He noted that the current annual allocation of ₹4 crore per constituency is insufficient to meet the developmental expectations of the public.
