The Parents Responsibility and Norms for Accountability and Monitoring (PRANAM) Bill was launched in Guwahati by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The Bill is aimed at protecting aged parents of government employees as well as unmarried differently abled siblings.
The PRANAM Commission had already been constituted earlier to work towards the issues associated with the Bill—which received cabinet approval in 2018— and ensure its implementation. The Commission was led by a chief commissioner along with two other commissioners.
At the district level, it was headed by the drawing and disbursement officer, who played the designated authority to hear the case and settle it by deciding the percentage of salary to be diverted. At the state level, the Commission was headed by the chief commissioner who held the power of judiciary authority, and whose decision was considered final.
This first-of-its-kind Bill makes it compulsory for state government staff to take care of the needs of their elderly parents and also protect any unmarried siblings with special needs who have no income of their own.
If a government employee fails in his duties towards his needy parents and siblings, 10 per cent of his salary may be cut by the Government. If she or he fails to take care of siblings with disability, five per cent of their salary can be cut. This money will be deposited in the bank account of the parents and siblings respectively.
The Bill may soon be applied to the staff of private and public-sector undertakings in Assam.
