Opposition members in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly today took the government to task alleging bias in distribution of developmental funds forcing adjournment of the House for the day amid slogan shouting.
Budgetary demands of food, civil supplies and consumer protection, public health, medical education and food and drug administration (FDA) were passed amid uproarious scenes.
The issue was raised by Sena legislator Ashish Jaiswal after the question hour when he lashed out at the government for not disbursing funds to constituencies of Opposition legislators related to backward class welfare, 13th Finance Commission and construction of roads.
"Does the state belong only to Congress and NCP?" he asked.
Leader of the Opposition Eknath Khadse asked, "Don't the citizens in Opposition constituencies pay their taxes?"
"What the government is doing is not right," he remarked.
Ganpatrao Deshmukh (PWP) and Bala Nandgaonkar (MNS) also supported Khadse in criticising the government for bias in distribution of funds.
Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said distribution of funds to drought hit areas have been done based on surveys of groundwater levels. "Distribution of funds is not done on basis on who the MLA is," he said.
He assured that there will be no bias. Chavan promised to convene an all-party meeting to discuss drought relief measures and fix loopholes, if any.
Minister of State for Urban Development Bhaskar Jadhav said distribution of funds was done as per the percentage of population. However, Opposition members were not satisfied with the replies and continued slogan shouting in the well.
Speaker Dilip Walse Patil adjourned the House twice for 30 minutes each. Later, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Patil assured the House that an all-party meeting would be convened.
However, there was no respite from sloganeering in the din, Deputy Speaker Vasant Purke took up voting on the budgetary demands and passage of the VAT (amendment) Bill 2013. Then the chair adjourned the house for the day.
