Bhubaneswar: Normalcy returned to the Odisha Assembly after three days of impasse during the Budget Session over delay in appointment of the Lokayukta.
The Opposition members had been demanding a reply from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the House over the delay in Lokayukta appointment for past three days. Following this, an all-party meeting convened by Speaker Pradip Amat had decided that the government must present a reply in the Assembly today.
"Matters pertaining to Lokayuktas with respect to different states are pending before Supreme Court. The Odisha government will examine the orders passed by the apex court and appropriate action will be taken after examination of the same," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha in the House in the reply.
Besides, the House discussed several issues on Health department and School and Mass Education department.
Meanwhile, replying to an adjournment motion moved by the Opposition, Higher Education Minister Ananta Das accepted shortage of faculty in degree colleges across the State. He said 1,010 lecturer posts are lying vacant at government-run degree colleges.
“A total of 1,296 lecturers are present in degree colleges as against sanctioned post for 2,306 faculty members,” Das added.
The Higher Education Minister further informed that 1,625 lecturer posts were filled up in 2016-17.
Privately-run aided degree colleges also have similar scene of shortage of faculty members, the minister stated.