Orissa Assembly passes three bills amid Opposition protest

Bhubaneswar, Nov 29 (UNI) Amid shouting of slogans by the Opposition Congress members inside the well of the Orissa Assembly, Speaker Kishore Mohanty today adopted three bills by voice vote.

The bills are- Orissa Advocates Clerks Welfare Fund, Orissa Municipal (Amendment) Bill and the Orissa Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill.

Introducing the Orissa Advocates Clerks Welfare Fund Bill, 2008 Law Minister B B Harichandan said it would protect the interest of the advocate clerks and their family and provide them some financial security and safety.

Mr Harichandan said the Bill envisaged to constitute a fund called Advocates Clerks Welfare Fund guaranteeing retirement benefits to the advocate clerks working under the advocates.

The fund would be managed by a committee comprising of Chairman of the Bar Council as the ex-officio Chairman of the Committee and secretary Law, Home, Finance and Registrar General of High Court as its members.

In addition to it, three members would be nominated from among the Advocate clerks and a Secretary to be appointed by the Chairman.

The Committee shall print Rs two stamp inscribed the Orissa advocates Clerks Welfare Fund.

In the event of death of a member, a consolidated amount of Rs 50,000 would be paid to the nominee or to his dependants.

The Committee might take LIC policies or Group Insurance on life of the members and provide medical and educational facilities and other benefits.

On cessation of employment, a member is entitled to get Rs 1000 to 30,000 depending upon the year of service rendered.

The House also passed the Orissa Municipal (Amendment) Bill and the Orissa Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2008.

The Bill incorporated the provisions of the Model Municipality Disclosure Bill furnished by the Union Government in the existing Orissa Municipal Act 1950 and Orison Municipal Corporation Act 2003 to comply with the guidelines of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission to avail the central assistance.

This would make it mandatory for the Urban local bodies to disclose the details of their plans, service and expendtiure at a regular interval.

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