Post News Network
New Delhi, March 17: MPs from the state in both Houses of Parliament were seen actively participating in the discussions in the first part of the Budget session that came to an end Wednesday.
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MPs hailed the Railway Budget under which an allocation of `4,600 crore was made for the state for 2016-17. However, BJD leaders had a mixed reaction to the general budget.
The productivity of the Lok Sabha during the first part of the Budget session was 120 per cent with it functioning for 97.1 hours, while the Rajya Sabha had a productivity of 97 per cent by functioning for 75 hours, according to PRS Legislative Research. The productivity of Question Hours was 87 per cent in the Lok Sabha with a total 11.3 hours and 85 per cent in the Rajya Sabha with total 11.1 hours. Out of nine Bills, six were passed by both houses of Parliament while three were passed by the Lok Sabha.
The issues that dominated the Budget session in the Lok Sabha were the students’ unrest in Jawaharlal Nehru University and Hyderabad University, the Ishrat Jahan encounter case, Aircel-Maxis scam and motion of thanks on President Pranab Mukherjee’s address.
In the Rajya Sabha, the students’ unrest, law and order problems in Delhi, the agrarian crisis in the country and motion of thanks on President address.
BJD members Bhatruhari Mahatab, Tathagata Satpathy, Balabhadra Majhi, Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo and Pinaki Mishra actively participated in various debates and discussions in the Lok Sabha.
Bhatruhari Mahatab moved an amendment demanding special category status to the state during the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address in the Lok Sabha and sought division of votes. He also alleged ‘match fixing’ between BJP and Congress on the Aircel-Maxis scam.
Dhenkanal MP Tathagata Satpathy vehemently criticised the Centre for its failure to handle the crisis in higher educational institutions such as JNU and Hyderabad University. He also saaid the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill 2016, could be misused for ‘mass surveillance’ and ‘ethnic cleansing’.
Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo accused both BJP and Congress of playing politics over the Ishrat Jahan case. Pinaki Mishra demanded that the Bill seeking to amend the Enemy Property Act 1968, be sent to a standing committee.