Monsoon session of Odisha Assembly to begin tomorrow

Bhubaneswar: The monsoon session of the Odisha Assembly will begin from tomorrow. Opposition parties today said they would raise issues such as unemployment, corruption and farmers' problems during the session.

The ruling BJD also said it would highlight Mahanadi and Polavaram issues in the session which has become significant as speculation is rife that the Lok Sabha and the state assembly polls would be held ahead of their schedule in April next year.

The Congress has already identified issues like non-payment of insurance money to farmers, the BJD's efforts to set up a Vidhan Parishad without taking opposition parties into confidence, while the BJP would raise issues such as percentage commission in government offices, farmers' problems and alleged hijacking of central schemes by the state government.

"We will raise unemployment problem in a big way in the assembly and also shortage of drinking water. We will also force the government to address them on a priority basis," leader of opposition Narasingha Mishra of the Congress said.

He said the opposition would also seek clarifications from the government on issues relating to the setting up of Lokayukta in the state, rampant corruption in government schemes and issues of doctors and teachers.

BJP MLA Pradip Purohit said though the state government claimed that it has stopped the practice of percentage commission, but it has been going on.

"We will also raise the issue of farmer suicides in the assembly," Purohit said.

On the other hand, the ruling BJD said that the state government is ready to face the House.

"We will raise the issues relating to Mahanadi and Polavaram, drastic cut in the central assistance and the Centre's gross apathy towards Odisha," Parliamentary Affairs Minister BK Arukha said.

Arukha indicated that a resolution on the setting up of the Vidhan Parishad would be moved in the Assembly during the monsoon session.

Six bills are scheduled to be tabled in the monsoon session which will continue till September 20.

(With PTI inputs)