Stalemate in Orissa Assembly for eighth day

Bhubaneswar, Nov 28 (UNI) A determined opposition today stalled the proceedings of the House for the eighth consecutive day, reiterating its demand for discussion of their motion on police action on farmers in Burla under Rule 113 (b).

As the pandemonium prevailed over the modalities for discussion, Speaker Maheswar Mohanty found it difficult to conduct the business and adjourned the House just eight minutes after it assembled till 1130hrs.

When the House reassembled at 1130, the Deputy Speaker again adjourned it till 1500hrs for lunch break. When the Assembly met after the lunch the Opposition entered the well, shouted slogans and tried to disrupt the business.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik stood up to announce the enhancement of the block grants for private high schools, upper primary and middle schools and remuneration of contract teachers.

He also announced hike in the honorarium of the Sikshya Sahayaks who had been resorting to indefinite agitation on the Mahatma Gandhi Marg for the last three days.

Amid shouting of slogans by the Opposition, Finance Minister P C Ghadei, Cooperation Minister Surama Padhi and Revenue Minister Manmohan Samal laid their papers.

The House hardly ran for 13 minutes when the Speaker again adjourned it at 1513 hours to 1645 hours and fixed discussion on the supplementary budget at 1700 hours.

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