As scheduled, the State Assembly passed an Appropriation Bill of Rs 1,22,723,58,63,000, presented by Finance Minister Shashi Bhushan Behera, following a marathon discussion on Monday.
Initiating the debate, leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra lambasted the State Government for not being able to provide necessities, including water, to people during the 18 years of rule.
“The Government has mastered in misleading the House in providing untrue information always. The Ministers are also not giving replies to our queries in many cases. The real development is not gauged by the per capital income but by lessening of rich-poor gap and making necessities available to people. This Government is incompetent and nonfunctioning,” he said.
He too said that the Government has failed to fill up vacant teacher, doctor and other posts and provide irrigation facilities to agricultural lands. The revenue collection has declined from 48.95 per cent in 2014 to 38.77 per cent during the current period.
Mishra alleged that the Government is adopting fascist policy while terming it as anti-poor, anti-women and anti-farmer and pro-rich and pro-capitalist. lamenting further that the Government has not yet responded to his 27 suggestions he had made during the last year’s Budget session, Mishra urged the Government to fulfill his four demands.
He wanted that the old-age pension be increased from Rs 300 to Rs 1,000, equal salary be paid for equal work in all Government jobs, including teachers, pension, price and prestige to farmers. BJP member Basant Panda slammed that corruption is going on everywhere in Government offices and the Government has failed in effecting development during its 18 years of rule.
BJD members like Arun Sahu and Sameer Ranjan Das refuted the Oppostion members’ charges giving many examples of growth, including rise in per capita income, lowering of MMR and IMR, achievement in agriculture sectors.
In his reply, Minister Behera said the Government has been working for development of people and the State and continue to do so in coming days also.