Assam Passes Bill To Penalise Government Employees For Neglecting Elderly Parents

The Assam cabinet on Monday (23 July) approved a bill that makes it mandatory for all state government employees to take adequate care of their elderly and dependent parents and also physically challenged siblings who do not have any sources of income. Errant employees will face upto 15 per cent pay cuts and will have adverse remarks entered in their annual confidential reports that will affect their careers.

According to a report in The Shillong Times, a regional English daily, the appropriately-named Assam Employees Parents Responsibility & Norms For Accountability and Monitoring (PRANAM) Bill was passed by the state Assembly in September last year. The bill, the first of its kind in India, was piloted by Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who told Swarajya on Tuesday (24 July) that the government was now exploring ways to bring employees of government and semi-government undertakings, autonomous bodies and also private sector employees in Assam under the purview of the bill.

The 15 per cent deducted from the salary of an errant employee will be deposited in the bank account of his or her parents or physically challenged siblings. The heads of the respective departments, on receiving complaints by or on behalf of aggrieved parents or siblings, will first counsel the errant employee(s) and if that fails, deduct that persons salary.

The opposition Congress in the state has opposed the bill, says a report in The Times Of India, with senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi terming it as an insult to Assamese society and interference in the private lives of government employees. But the move has found widespread endorsement and praise from all sections of society.