The issue of alleged allotment of a Government house out of the discretionary quota to the family members of former Minister and present Rajya Sabha BJD member Kalpataru Das rocked the State Assembly on Wednesday with the Congress members demanding that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik make a statement in the House on the issue.
During the Zero Hour, Congress member Naba Kishore Das raised the issue quoting media reports that Kalpataru Das had managed to get allotment of at least two BDA houses out of the discretionary quota to his son and one to Balabanatray Mineral Transport company owned by his family members. Besides, a plot of Government land was also allotted in favour of his wife, he said.
Alleging that the discretionary quota was misused by Kalpataru Das in favour of his family, the Congress member said this was totally illegal and the land should be resumed from the beneficiaries.
Naba Das was supported by his party colleague Dr Prafulla Majhi.
later, BJP member and party State president KV Singh Deo told reporters outside the House that there should be an inquiry whether land and houses were allotted out of the discretionary quota by giving false affidavits. If the affidavits are found fake, the house should be resumed form Das’ kin as was done in case of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh.
Urban Development Minister Puspendra Singh Deo said he would give a statement in the House on the issue if the Speaker directed the Government to do so.