Treasury bench faced embarrassment on the important matter of constituting the ombudsman known as lokayukta with the Opposition MlAs tearing into it while casting doubt on its intention after the State Government decided to send lokayukta Act to a high power committee even after the Opposition decided not to insist on the high power committee, citing the issue of corruption being important.
leading the attack on the BJP Government, the Congress MlA Qazi Nizamuddin said that the government despite enjoying a mammoth majority had failed to have the crucial act passed. “This gives a lie to the ruling party’s overpowering enthusiasm seen during the electioneering and even after the declaration of the result for bringing the ombudsman to weed out corruption,” he said. The Government should provide treatment free of cost to cancer patients, he demanded.
True, the Congress members raised the issue of sending the bill to a high power committee with the leader of the Opposition Indira Hridayesh leading the show. But later, they changed tacks considering the importance of the bill. However, the treasury bench insisted on sending it to the committee, something that gave the handle to the Opposition members to pillory the State Government. “ This means that the ruling party members themselves are reluctant to bring things to logical conclusion,” Nizamuddin said while participating in vote of thanks on the Governor’s speech.
“The ruling party backtracking on such a critical issue despite enjoying a majority is unprecedented in the political history of the State,” he said.
Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said in the vote of thanks to the Governor’s address assuring the public that there is no reason for anxiety as the Government will not unnecessar4ily cause inconvenience to the public. He said that a cabinet sub committee has been formed to look into the problem of migration from the mountainous regions. This cabinet sub committee headed by cabinet minister Satpal Maharj will have Ministers of State Rekha Arya and Dhan Singh Rawat as its members. The Chief Minister also declared nominal rates for dialysis and added that Government would consider providing this facility to BPl card holders free of cost.
The Government has talked to the district magistrate regarding problems being faced in construction of all-weather Char Dham Yatra roads and these will be resolved soon, said the CM.
Meanwhile, after the vote on account was passed and the discussion on the Governor’s address completed, the Speaker announced that the House was being adjourned sine die.