Budget Session of U'khand Assembly begins amid uproar over hooch tragedy

The Budget Session of the Uttarakhand Assembly began Monday amid sloganeering and walkout by the opposition over the hooch tragedy that has claimed over 70 lives in the state and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.

Barely five minutes into Governor Baby Rani Maurya's address, the opposition members led by Pradesh Congress president and Chakrata MLA Pritam Singh rushed into the well of the House with placards, demanding dismissal of the state government and stern action against those responsible for the tragedy.

Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Indira Hridayesh also objected to the governor's address beginning ahead of the scheduled time and termed it an insult to parliamentary norms.

 

The governor, who had begun her address a little early, was hardly audible as the Congress members continued to raise slogans.

A little later, the opposition members staged a walkout in protest and accused the government of being insensitive to the sufferings of the families which had lost their breadwinners in the tragedy.

Over 70 people have died after consuming spurious liquor in two adjoining districts in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

The governor could not finish her address due to a bad throat.

In an address cut short by repeated coughing, Maurya spoke of the steps taken by the BJP government in the state to double the income of farmers, boosting investments and tourism besides enhancing connectivity and strengthening the service delivery mechanism in the state.

The state government has launched Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Kisan Kalyan Yojana to double the income of farmers under which short term and medium term loans worth Rs 325 crore have been given to 65,000 farmers in the state, she said.

She said 413 km of new roads have been built, 604 km reconstructed and 27 bridges erected to connect 26 villages with approach roads in the state during the current financial year.

MoUs worth Rs 601 crore have been signed so far in different sectors of investment, she said, attributing it to the efforts made by the state government to promote the state as an investment destination.

A robust mechanism has been put in place in the form of chief minister dashboard to monitor the progress of development projects and ensure their timely implementation.