Cabinet doubles HRA of ministers

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 18

The Cabinet on Monday hiked house rent allowance (HRA) for ministers from Rs50,000 to Rs80,000. An additional amount of Rs20,000 would be paid to cover power and water charges. With a total amount of Rs1 lakh per month, HRA was doubled.

The Cabinet decided to bring in an amendment in Rule 10-AA of the Haryana Ministers Allowances Rules for allowing the hike in HRA. The new rules will be called the Haryana Ministers Allowances (Amendment) Rules.

All allowances admissible to ministers were revised by the government with effect from or after April 1, 2016. “The last HRA hike was on June 2, 2011,” said Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who chaired the Cabinet meeting.

This was the second Cabinet meeting of government after coming to power. The Cabinet allowed authorisation given to the CM, to be continued for six more months, on matters pertaining to implementation of GST, including framing of rules and rates.

New department

The Cabinet decided to create a new department — Foreign Cooperation — “to streamline and provide focus to various initiatives taken by the state government for promotion of investment, employment to Haryanavi youth and welfare of non-resident Indians (NRIs) and persons of Indian origin (PIOs)”.

“An IAS officer will be the nodal officer of the new department. It will oversee opportunities in industry, commerce, investment and employment for state youth in foreign countries. It will check illegal immigration. Many people have been deported recently,” said Khattar.

The department would maintain liaison with Indian missions abroad, Ministry of External Affairs and foreign missions in New Delhi on matters pertaining to Haryana with regard to investment, employment, education, skill development, culture and NRI and PIO affairs.

It would work for development of global country-wise marketing and communication strategies to ensure links with the Haryanavi diaspora.

The Cabinet noted paddy procurement was almost over. “Paddy will be given to rice millers for converting it into rice, which takes time. During this time, rice millers will be regularly checked as there have been complaints of mismanagement,” said Khattar.