Tripura Assembly sits for Winter Session on Friday, 3 Bills to be introduced

Agartala, Jan 09, 2025, By Our Correspondent130

The winter session of the Tripura Legislative Assembly is set to begin on Friday, bringing key legislative discussions and policy decisions to the forefront. In preparation, Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha chaired a meeting of the legislator party, attended by members from the BJP, IPFT, and Tipra Motha. Prominent leaders, including Speaker Biswabandhu Sen and BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee, were also present at the meeting.

An important agenda for this session is the introduction of a bill to amend the existing law regarding retirement benefits for MLAs. According to officials, the proposed amendment aims to extend retirement benefits, including pensions and housing loans, to MLAs who have served even a single day in office. This would mark a significant change from the current provision, established in a 2022 amendment, which grants these benefits only to those who served at least four-and-a-half years.

The session will commence with Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu delivering the customary inaugural address. His speech will highlight the state government’s achievements and outline its future roadmap. Officials have noted that the address will reflect the administration’s vision for development and governance.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ratan Lal Nath stated that three critical bills would be introduced during the three-day session. Apart from the amendment bill on MLA retirement benefits, other legislative matters will also be addressed. The Business Advisory Committee (BAC), in a meeting last week, unanimously approved the session’s schedule.

Furthermore, the proposed legislation is expected to include revisions to the salary, allowances, pensions, and family pensions for ministers, sitting MLAs, and former MLAs, potentially increasing their entitlements.

The winter session is anticipated to spark debate on these significant policy changes, particularly the move to expand MLA retirement benefits to those with minimal service tenure.