Normalcy Prevails In Odisha Assembly

Bhubaneswar: After four days of uproar since the starting of the winter session, the Odisha Assembly began its proceedings smoothly on Saturday.

The Opposition and the treasury bench created no uproarious scenes during the Question Hour, Zero Hour and the adjournment motion.

During the Question Hour session, the House discussed the growth of hotel industry in the state.

Replying to the question of the leader of the Opposition Narasingha Mishra, Congress member Naba Das and leader of the BJP legislature party KV Singhdeo, Tourism and Culture Ashok Panda said the state government through the Single Window Clearance Committee has given permission to 36 hotel industries to set up their projects in the state of which the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) had allotted land to five hotel industries through the e-auction. Apart from this, IDCO has allotted land to 77 hotel industries. Since 17 industries are yet to start their project, IDCO has issued a notice to them.

The minister also informed the House that the state government had sent a detailed project report (DPR) to the Centre last for the development of some of the major pilgrimage sites in the state like the Baladev Jew temple in Kendrapara, Biraja temple in Jajpur, Kali temple in Bhadrak etc with a request to include these temples under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme. However, the Centre is yet to give its approval, he pointed out.

After the Question Hour session, the Zero Hour session also went on smoothly in the House.

Raising the issue relating to the conservation of the Sun temple at Konark during the Zero Hour, the leader of the Opposition said the Centre has grossly failed in the proper preservation and conservation of the Sun temple. Referring to the replacement of old and damaged stone carving with plain stone slabs by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Mishra sought a clarification in this regard from the Centre. He also blamed the inaction of the state government on this matter.

Taking note of the statement of Mishra, Speaker Pradip Amat gave his ruling to the state government directing it to give special attention on this matter.

Apart from Mishra, the BJP legislature party leader raised the issue on the demand by the Western Odisha Lawyers’ Association for a permanent High Court bench in western Odisha. He urged the Speaker to direct the government to place the report of the Jaswant Singh Committee in the House.