Odisha Assembly Adjourned Over Teachers, Sapling Scam Issues

Bhubaneswar: Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat adjourned the Odisha Assembly till 11.30 am on Thursday following uproar by the Opposition Congress and BJP.

As soon as the Question Hour session began, the Congress members demanded a discussion on the issue of the agitating teachers while that of the BJP raised the massive scam in sapling plantation.

When the Speaker rejected their demand and directed for continuation of the Question Hour, the irate Opposition members rushed to the well of the House and shouted anti-government slogans.

Unable to conduct the proceedings, he adjourned the House till 11.30 am.

Much to chagrin of the ruling party, senior BJD leader and former minister Damodar Rout hinted at Rs 100-crore scam in the plantation of saplings in the state. He also claimed massive irregularities in providing job cards to the beneficiaries under the centrally-sponsored Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

“According to MGNREGS rules, the Centre allocates Rs 10,000 for each job card with 100 man-days. There are 63 lakh beneficiaries in the state of which only three lakh have been provided job cards so far. Instead of asking me, you should ask the Agriculture minister for the details,” Dama told mediapersons.

BJP member Pradip Purohit said that his party will demand a CBI probe into the massive sapling plantation scam.