Haryana Cabinet approves proposal for formulation of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee Rules

Accordingly, it is necessary to hold elections of gurdwaras in Haryana to elect members of the HSGMC and rules need to be enacted for this purpose.

Chandigarh: The Haryana Cabinet on Tuesday gave the nod to a proposal for the formulation of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (Delimitation of Wards and Elections), Rules, 2023, according to an official release. A separate committee to manage affairs of gurdwaras in Haryana was formed after the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act, 2014 last year.

Thereafter, the Haryana government had nominated an ad hoc gurdwara panel -- Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC). The tenure of the HSGMC expires in 18 months, the release said. Accordingly, it is necessary to hold elections of gurdwaras in Haryana to elect members of the HSGMC and rules need to be enacted for this purpose.

In another decision, the Cabinet approved the drafts of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for three state police awards. The council of ministers had earlier approved the three awards -- Chief Minister's Medal for Bravery, Home Minister's Medal for Excellence in Investigation and DGP's Uttam Seva Medal -- to recognise and reward outstanding detection, investigation, bravery and outstanding performance of administrative duties by Haryana Police personnel.

As per the SOPs, the awardees of the Chief Minister's Medal for Bravery and the Home Minister's Medal for Excellence in Investigation will get a one-time cash reward of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh respectively. The awardees will also get a medal along with a ribbon display above the left pocket of the uniform and six-month extension of service after retirement for Group-B and C for police personnel.

The recipients of the DGP's Uttam Seva Medal will get a one-time cash reward of Rs 50,000 along with a certificate signed by the Director General of Police. The Cabinet also approved an amendment to the Haryana Panchayati Raj Rules, 1995, the release said. The rules shall henceforth be referred to as the Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Rules of 2023.

The rules were amended to include Rule 28A, "Application of Gram Fund, Samiti Fund, and Zila Parishad Fund", which states that a gram panchayat, panchayat samiti or zila parishad is authorised to utilise its funds for the performance of functions and duties assigned to it by or under the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act.

The Cabinet also gave the nod to a proposal for amendment to the Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educational Institutions) Act, 2016. The Union Government had amended the Scheduled Castes order, 1950 (vide notification on May 9, 2016) to include seven castes of Haryana -- Aheria, Aheri, Heri, Hari, Thori, Turi and Rai Sikh -- in the list of Scheduled Castes.

"Since these castes were also listed in the Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educational Institutions) Act, 2016 in BC Block A category, therefore these seven castes are being deleted from the BC A list in the Schedule of Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educational Institutions) Act 2016," it said. (PTI)