Significant Bills slated for introduction amidst indications that Goley will attend

BUDGET SESSION BEGINS ON MONDAY 
VISHNU NEOPANEY
GANGTOK, 24 June: The Sikkim Assembly Secretariat has reiterated instructions to its officials not to allow any persons without valid passes into the Assembly as it meets Monday for the Budget Session. Sources further inform that strict security measures have also undertaken around the Assembly complex. These, as precautionary measures given that there is strong possibility of dissident SDF MLA from Upper Burtuk, PS Tamang, finally attending the Assembly this time and arriving with supporters.
With this development playing in the background, the Budget Session also has some significant Bills lined up for tabling and discussions.
On the first day, Governor BP Singh will address the Sikkim Legislative Assembly for the fourth time followed by the Leader of the House, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, moving the ‘Motion of Thanks’ on the Governor’s address.
Secretary, Sikkim Legislative Assembly, D Rinchen, while speaking to NOW!, informed that the Chief Minister will place his 13th budget for Sikkim [as Minister-In-charge of Finance, Revenue and Expenditure Department] on the second day (Tuesday) of the budget session 2012.
Besides the Governor’s address, on Monday, the Human Resource Development Department Minister NK Pradhan is scheduled to introduce the Shri Ramasamy Memorial State University Bill. The SRM State University, it is learnt, will cater to the State’s needs for diploma courses in engineering and further studies in livelihood schools opened at every constituency across the State. The Sikkim Ecology Fund and Environment Cess Amendment under the Forest Department is also scheduled for tabling on Monday.
Other Bills expected to be introduced during the Budget Session re the much awaited Parliamentary Affairs Department’s  amendment in salaries, pensions and allowance proposal seeking approval to increase the existing rate of Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 15,000 for retired MLAs [one term] and from Rs. 8000 to Rs. 20,000 in the case of those who have served the House for more than one term. Also slated for introduction is Bill of the Land Revenue Department and another on the enhancement of pensions of the state government, inform Parliamentary Department sources.
Meanwhile, the Upper Burtuk MLA is expected to be present in the budget session for the first time since his swearing in after the 2009 Assembly elections. Mr Tamang, it is informed, has written to the Secretary seeking passes for a long list of supporters to attend the budget session. However, in view of limited seats in the visitor’s gallery, the Assembly Secretariat has issued only 10 passes [against 30 sought by Mr. Tamang], two each for each assembly session day. Assembly Secretariat officials explain that 2 visitor passes per MLA per day is the established practice at the Assembly.
The unfolding session will be interesting to watch in how the dissident MLA engages in the discussions and in light of the Chief Minister’s recent announcement that he plans to present a “detailed report of his government’s developmental works of the past 18 years” during the session.