The Budget Session of the Odisha legislative Assembly (OlA) beginning Tuesday is all set to be stormy as Opposition Congress and BJP have announced to raise Government failures in different sectors to take on the ruling BJD and the latter decided to raise Central apathy towards Odisha.
The BJP legislature Party meeting under chairmanship of KV Singh Deo decided to make farmer suicide, lack of irrigation facility, nonpayment of input subsidy and law and order issues during the session.
“let it be farmer suicide, insecurity of women and law and order, each of them is severe in nature and the BJP will raise these issues,” said MlA Pradeep Purohit.
Similarly, the Congress said it would make rape incidents, women insecurity and law and order as main issues to counter the ruling party. “The Congress would raise many issues, mainly rape incidents and law and order, during the session,” said Opposition Chief Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
It may be noted that the Congress legislature Party (ClP) had met three days back at Opposition leader Narasingha Mishra’s house as some the MlAs had to move to New Delhi to attend the All India Congress Committee’s plenary session. The ClP is scheduled to meet again on March 20 afternoon.
On the other hand, the BJD said it would raise Special Category State status, Mahanadi water dispute and Polavaram project issues in the House.
“All questions of Opposition members to be answered by the Government,” said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik after chairing BJD legislature Party meeting at the Assembly in the afternoon.
According to the schedule, Governor Dr SC Jamir will address the House on the first day. Finance Minister Shashi Bhushan Behera will present the Annual Budget for the year 2017-18 on March 23. However, the House will pass a vote-on-account for a month’s Budget as the House is meeting late. Passing of vote-on-account is needed for payment of salary to Government employees and running ongoing projects. The vote-on-account is likely to be passed on March 30.
The first phase of the House will run till March 31. The second phase is schedule to start from April 11 and end on May 5.