Raipur
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel presented the third supplementary budget of Rs 4,144 crore for the financial year 2022-23 on the second day of the budget session of the assembly on Thursday.
Baghel, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented the supplementary budget amidst chaos created by Opposition BJPMLAs Ajay Chandrakar, Brijmohan Agarwal, Leader of Opposition Narayan Chandel, Dharamlal Kaushik and others. They even raised slogans of Jai-Jai Shri Ram in the assembly. After some time everyone started reciting Hanuman Chalisa. Meanwhile, when there was an uproar over the target killing in Bastar, the Chief Minister responded by saying that they believe that these incidents are tragic. “We are investigating, but if the NIA comes in the way, then the BJP should get these incidents investigated by the NIA itself.”
Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, a target was set to provide clean drinking water to about 24 lakh rural families through household tap connections in the financial year 2022-23. To fulfill these targets, an additional provision of Rs 900 crore has been made for the works under construction.
The opposition has also brought a proposal of adjournment on Naxalite attack, target killing and conversion. BJP members also reached the well of the House.
Earlier during the proceedings, the House echoed with the issue of irregular employees’ strike. The Chief Minister has given a written reply in the House on regularization. MLA Pritam Ram’s question was whether any committee has been constituted to regularize irregular, contractual, daily wage workers. If yes, then who are its members, when and how many meetings were held and what was the recommendation made by the committee?
Baghel gave a written reply on this and said that according to the orders of the General Administration Department, a committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary Commerce and Industry and officers of Public Enterprises Department. In this, secretary level officers of departments like Finance Department, Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Tribal Scheduled Caste Development Department are members.
A meeting was held on August 16, 2022 and information on 5 points was sought from all the departments of the government.
Action postponed 4 times in 2 hours
BJP’s uproar continued in the second day’s session from the very beginning. The proceedings of the House had to be adjourned 4 times within two and a half hours. After paying homage to the departed members, the House was adjourned for 10 minutes. The proceedings that started after this were adjourned after the walk out of the opposition over Jal Jeevan Mission.
On the question of irregularities in Jal Jeevan Mission in Bilaspur, Minister Rudra Guru said that action has been taken against the concerned officer. Shivratan Sharma said that suspending the officer is not enough, and demanded FIR. In response, Rudra Guru said that he has been suspended. Further investigation is going on.
Leader of Opposition Narayan Chandel said that the minister is giving a roundabout answer. After this Ajay Chandrakar, Narayan Chandel, Dharamlal Kaushik created ruckus. Accusing the minister of suppressing the matter, they started attacking.
