Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao seems to be jubilant with the successful conduct of state assembly winter session. After the formation of the new state, for the first time the sessions continuously conducted for 18 days with meaningful debates.
At a time, the Parliament fails to take up meaningful business for over one month during winter and many state assemblies are also witnessing frequent disturbances, the Telangana government now claims that its Assembly set an example by holding a serious debates.
“Earlier, people used to say that debates of high standard would take place in Parliament on any issue concerning people. But this was proved wrong recently when the August House failed to take up a discussion at least for one day on a key issue like demonetisation,” legislative affairs minister T Harish Rao said, soon after the House was adjourned sine die.
Though the second day the house was disturbed with the suspension of opposition members immediately after beginning of the house, raising serious criticisms, later with his liberal attitude, Chief Minister succeeded in tactfully making opposition to confine for debates.
In total, debates were conducted for 94.56 hours. While short notice discussions were taken up on 15 issues, government get nod for 16 bills. In the sessions itself, Chief Minister announced Rs 1,000 pension scheme to all single women in the state, first of its kind in the country.
However, for more than one third of the time was taken away by Chief Minister and his ministers speaking on various issues. Congress party could get highest time of 19.13 hours, followed by TRS – 17.21 hours, BJP 10.10 hours, MIM 6.54 hours, TDP 6.05 hours and CPM 1.42 hours.
The house witnessed disturbance only for 1.03 hours, of which Congress took 43 minutes, MIM 5 minutes and TDP 15 minutes. After many years, question hour was by and large normal. As many as 110 questions and 361 supplement questions were answered. As many as 186 speeches were witnessed during zero hours. Almost all members got chance to speak during zero hour.
Leader of Opposition K Jana Reddy said that tactfully the opposition makes the government to response on various issues, without allowing taken for granted.
