Bihar Assembly today witnessed verbal duel between opposition and treasury bench over the issue of utilisation of Centre's fund for welfare of minority under multi-sectoral development programme in seven districts.
Leader of Opposition Abdul Bari Siddiqui and Parliamentary Affairs minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav were engaged in war of words during question hour.
Dissatisfied with answer of Minority Welfare minister Shahid Ali on proper utilisation of Central government's fund for multi-sectoral development programme (MSDP) in seven-muslim dominated districts of Bihar, Siddiqui charged the government with diverting money under the head.
He alleged that out of Rs 433 crore fund received from the Centre for seven districts including Araria, Kisanganj, Katihar, Purnea, the state government has send utilisation certificate of only Rs 237 crore in 2012-13 to the Centre.
Siddiqui said as per provision the scheme has to be implemented on the recommendation of 15-point committee which unfortunately has not been constituted in the state.
On this, Yadav intervened saying, the opposition was ignorant about the scheme and this was strongly objected by Siddiqui who said the minister was trying to divert attention.
Leader of Congress Legislature party in the House Sadanand Singh also raised doubts on the intention of the government in implementing the scheme sincerely.
Calm returned in the House only after intervention of Speaker Udai Narayan Chaudhary.
