The Opposition Congress and BJP members stalled the proceedings of the State Assembly for the fourth consecutive day on Monday over the power tariff hike issue. As the House met at 10.30 am, the Opposition members trooped into the Well of the House and demanded withdrawal of the power tariff hike. Meanwhile, the ruling BJD members too rushed inside the House in protest against the Central PSUs' reported refusal to provide financial assistance for running of the proposed 'Aahar' progamme in the urban areas.
Amid sloganeering, Speaker Niranjan Pujari called Finance Minister Pradip Kumar Amat to reply to a question put by Amar Prasad Satpathy on introduction of the proposed GST. But as noisy scenes continued, Pujari adjourned the House at 10.31 am till 12.50 pm. The House witnessed no ruckus when it reassembled at 12.50 pm as Energy Minister Pranab Prakash Das made a statement on the power tariff hike. He said the Energy Department would fill a review petition with the OERC requesting to withdraw tariff hike decision for agriculture. The Speaker then adjourned the House till 3 pm. In the afternoon session, Expenditures of Rs 80,35,14,000 relating to the Steel and Mines Department and Expenditure of Rs 46,91,71,000 relating to the Industries Department were passed after discussion. Thereafter, Expenditures relating to many departments, which could not be discussed, were guillotined. The Appropriation Bill is scheduled to be passed on Tuesday.
