Budget session from tomorrow: likely to be stormy !

SUBRAT DAS Bhubaneswar, Feb 17: Opposition BJP and Congress are readying themselves with the ammunitions to attack the government on the floor of the state assembly, while the ruling Biju Janata Dal is getting prepared to counter the Opposition attack. The floor of the state Assembly will thus turn into a battle field as its month-long Budget session will start from tomorrow. "Deteriorating law and order situation will be the main issue to be raised during the session, the latest instance being the political murder of an Opposition BJP leader at Mahanga by the ruling BJD". said Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Pradipta Kumar Naik. For Congress, the other main Opposition party, the issue of Kotia border dispute will be the major stick to beat the state government with. " The state government has failed to protect the border of the state and win the confidence of the locals by undertaking developmental work in the border area and resolving their problems". said the leader of Congress Legislature Party, Narasingha Mishra. The treasury bench will, on the other hand, raise the issue of Central neglect. BJD Chief Whip, Pramila Mallick said, " We will move official motion to discuss the issue of neglect of Odisha by the Central government". The session having 31  working days will be divided into two parts. During the first part, Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal will deliver his customary address to the state legislature  on the opening day of the Budget session tomorrow. He will present the state's achievements in various fields  and the government's future plans. Later, Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari will present the annual budget in the Assembly on February 22. The House will hold debate on the thank-giving motion for the Governor's address and general debate on the annual budget. During the second part, the  reports of the departmental related standing committees will be tabled in the House and the budgetary grant of demands of a few selected departments will be discussed and passed in the House. Finally, the annual budget will get the nod of Assembly with the passage of the Appropriation Bill.