Questioners Absent, Women Ministers Miss Chance To Take Part

Bhubaneswar: Two first time women ministers of Odisha Saturday missed their maiden opportunity to participate in the question answer session due to absence of questioners in the Assembly.

There are only two women among 21 ministers in Odisha.

They are Women and Child Development Minister Tukuni Sahu (cabinet rank) and Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Minister Padmini Diyan (MoS, independent charge).

The question session was scheduled to begin with question number 541 on the number of working women in the state. BJD member Souvhic Biswal was supposed to remain in the House and ask the question to the WCD Minister.

But Biswal was not present in the House.

Tukuni Sahu was supposed to reply to another question on the food being served at Anganwadi centres. However, the question could not be discussed as BJD member Ananta Narayan Jena was also absent.

Similarly, Dian also could not reply to the House as BJD member Byamakesh Ray was absent in the House.

Ray was supposed to ask question on the Utkalika, a government undertaking under the department of Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts.

Dian also could not reply to another question on handloom sector due to absence of BJD member Jagannath Nayak.