The State Assembly again failed to transact normal businesses on Wednesday as opposition Congress and BJP members demanded an all-party resolution to fix minimum support price (MSP) for a quintal of paddy at `2,800 and the same sent to the Union Government for approval.
As soon as the House met for the day, the opposition MlAs demanded a ruling from Speaker Niranjan Pujari for a consensus resolution. As Pujari didn’t pay any heed and called Minister Usha Devi to reply to a question, the Congress members rushed into the Well of the House and shouted slogans against the Government. The BJP members were on foot at their respective seats. Unable to run the proceedings, the Speaker adjourned the House at 10.34 am till 12.30 pm and then till 3 pm.
The situation remained unaltered during the afternoon hours. After two adjournments, leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said while the Congress, the BJP and the ruling party members are in favour of a consensus resolution on the MSP, it is not understood why the Government is not accepting it. “When the Government has turned monopolistic, the Chair should react and consider our demands,” he said and demanded that the Speaker give a ruling for passing a consensus resolution.
In the meantime, Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy read a statement on the MSP.
He said while the Government had sent a proposal to increase the MSP to `2,500, the Union Government increased the MSP to `1,470. He hoped that the Centre would consider the State’s proposal soon.
later, the Speaker called an all-party meeting which failed to reach a conclusion for smooth functioning of the House. Amid noisy scenes, the expenditure estimate of the Panchayati Raj Department was passed through a voice vote. Finally, the Speaker adjourned the House at 5.27 pm till Friday.