The issue of irrigation in Himachal Pradesh created furore in the State Assembly on the second day of the Budget Session, with BJP legislators staging a walkout within moments after the start of business in the House.
Miffed over the allegations of ruling Congress on Central Government creating blockades in the development of the State, the BJP legislators staged a walkout.
The ruling Congress passed the buck on the BJP for creating hurdles in the Prini-Bajali Mahadev Irrigation project, which was supposed to be named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Replying to a query during question hour, Revenue Minister Kaul Singh Thakur blamed Narendra Modi led Central Government of non-cooperation and alleged that the Prini-Bajali Mahadev Irrigation project was hampered because the centre sent the project report back to the state with objections.
The issue was raised by BJP MlA Maheshwar Singh. Thakur, who was replying the query in absence of Agriculture Minister Sujjan Singh Pathania, said that the State Government was serious about the irrigation projects and the DPR of the project would soon be sent to Centre as the objections raised on the project have already been removed.
Accusing Modi Government of discriminating with the State Thakur alleged that it did not released a single penny to work upon this scheme. He said that the projects were kept pending as the Centre had been targeting Congress Government led States.
Blaming Centre for stumbling development projects of the State, he said that the centre had blocked approvals of the seven medium range irrigation schemes. He said that the DPRs of irrigation schemes worth `1911 crore were pending with the Centre and it had returned only one project report till now.
Refuting Congress charges, Maheshwer Singh alleged that complete mess prevailed in the Government on every issue. He said the proposals sent by State were not getting approvals as the DPRs being sent by the state were incomplete.
He said that the ruling members were trying to escape the failures of the Government by confusing the house on the matter. Seeing the debate getting longer, Speaker Brij Bihari lal Butail intervened and contained the debate saying that he would not allow only one question to be debated upon in the question shour. He observed that the opposition members can seek more detailed reply about the project report from the concerned minister by writing to him.
The opposition members staged a walk out from the house as the Speaker ordered for taking up the next question. later, blaming opposition of shirking its constitutional duty, Thakur said that the BJP legislators had been siding with the centre instead of standing up for the development of the state. Challenging BJP he said if the opposition was not satisfied with the reply of the government, then it should bring privilege motion against the Government.