Concern as ministers stay away from the House
Ministers in Orissa are too busy these days. They don’t have time to participate in debate and discussions during Question Hour in the Assembly, if it is not related to their departments. Sometimes, the treasury bench is empty during the debate.
During the recently concluded Budget session of the Assembly on 11 March 2010, ministers were present in the House for just half an hour. When the issue was raised by the Congress Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Anup Sai to seek Speaker’s intervention, Minister of Higher Education Debi Prasad Mishra immediately rushed to the House to avoid embarrassment. A senior government official of the Assembly secretariat told TSI on condition of anonymity: “Ministers sit either in Assembly lobby or in their chambers even while the House functions. Most of the times, they prepare strategy for adjournment motions or to counter Opposition’s attack on the ruling bench. In the chamber, they consult officials and ask them to prepare answers regarding their departments. However, normally, ministers meet members of the Assembly (both ruling and Opposition) to discuss their demands and requests.”
Senior political analyst, Basant Das says: “Several times, it is seen, once the chief minister leaves the House, his ministerial colleagues coolly vacate the Assembly hall one by one. In the CM’s absence, the tally of the MLAs comes down to two though the strength of the ministry is 20. Even first timers are also not interested in taking part in debates and discussions.”
Sources close to different ministers reveal that the MLAs and political leaders from different areas cutting across party line use this opportunity to discuss the pending works and projects of their constituencies. And in the Assembly ministers are free. Proposals of transfer and posting of government employees are also discussed here. When asked about the absence of ministers in the House during debate and discussions, minister of science and technology Ramesh Majhi told TSI: “I won’t agree with the accusation that ministers are rushing out from the House once the chief minister is gone. They may not be in their seats due to some other important engagements or reasons. Another thing, when there is no question in reference to their departments, ministers sit in lobby for the legislative and political activity and not for any personal matters. A minister should try to be in the House when debates and discussions are going on important subjects.”
During any session of the Assembly, the Opposition and the ruling MLAs try to draw government ’s attention towards issues that are significant for the public. Absence of the ministers in the Assembly hours makes this objective futile to a great extent.
Ministers in Orissa are too busy these days. They don’t have time to participate in debate and discussions during Question Hour in the Assembly, if it is not related to their departments. Sometimes, the treasury bench is empty during the debate.
During the recently concluded Budget session of the Assembly on 11 March 2010, ministers were present in the House for just half an hour. When the issue was raised by the Congress Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Anup Sai to seek Speaker’s intervention, Minister of Higher Education Debi Prasad Mishra immediately rushed to the House to avoid embarrassment. A senior government official of the Assembly secretariat told TSI on condition of anonymity: “Ministers sit either in Assembly lobby or in their chambers even while the House functions. Most of the times, they prepare strategy for adjournment motions or to counter Opposition’s attack on the ruling bench. In the chamber, they consult officials and ask them to prepare answers regarding their departments. However, normally, ministers meet members of the Assembly (both ruling and Opposition) to discuss their demands and requests.”
Senior political analyst, Basant Das says: “Several times, it is seen, once the chief minister leaves the House, his ministerial colleagues coolly vacate the Assembly hall one by one. In the CM’s absence, the tally of the MLAs comes down to two though the strength of the ministry is 20. Even first timers are also not interested in taking part in debates and discussions.”
Sources close to different ministers reveal that the MLAs and political leaders from different areas cutting across party line use this opportunity to discuss the pending works and projects of their constituencies. And in the Assembly ministers are free. Proposals of transfer and posting of government employees are also discussed here. When asked about the absence of ministers in the House during debate and discussions, minister of science and technology Ramesh Majhi told TSI: “I won’t agree with the accusation that ministers are rushing out from the House once the chief minister is gone. They may not be in their seats due to some other important engagements or reasons. Another thing, when there is no question in reference to their departments, ministers sit in lobby for the legislative and political activity and not for any personal matters. A minister should try to be in the House when debates and discussions are going on important subjects.”
During any session of the Assembly, the Opposition and the ruling MLAs try to draw government ’s attention towards issues that are significant for the public. Absence of the ministers in the Assembly hours makes this objective futile to a great extent.
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