BJP members on Thursday walked out of the Chhattisgarh Assembly on the issue of cow dung procurement and formation of committees to manage gauthans in rural areas.
During Question Hour, Leader of Opposition Dharamlal Kaushik sought details of complaints received regarding shortage and theft of cow dung in the procurement centres.
Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey said cases of theft were reported in four districts.
He said the state has procured 4.86 tonnes of cow dung and Rs 9.70 crores have been paid to beneficiaries. Another Rs 28.48 lakhs is in the process of release.
The Self Help Groups are paid 85 percent of dividend and Rs 0.65 for packaging.
In cases of cow dung being washed away by water, the Minister said recovery has been initiated from the committees which manage it. The committees were formed after holding Gram Sabha (meetings). The gauthans are the property of Panchayats.
Ajay Chandrakar and other BJP members wanted to know if the gauthan committees were formed as per the Panchayati Raj Act. This led to noisy disturbances.
While the Minister said everything had been done according to the rules, the opposition insisted there were flaws in the appointments.
The BJP members then raised anti-government slogans and trooped out of the House.