Full statehood will lead to greater govt accountability: Prem Sing

New Delhi, Dec 29 (UNI) Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly Prem Singh in a press conference today made a strong pitch for granting full statehood to Delhi saying it would result in a greater accountability of the state government towards the people.

''Delhi needs to get full statehood. It would mean that the government of the state will be directly accountable to the people,'' Mr Singh said a day after the conclusion of the three-day winter session of the state Legislative assembly yesterday.

''Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has often complained about the multiplicity of authorities in Delhi and that the MCD and DDA not being under the state government's control hampers development planning in the state capital. A full statehood for the city would help to resolve this problem,'' Mr Singh added.

On the question of an increase in the duration of the session, a demand voiced by several MLAs in the just-concluded session, the Assembly Speaker said a meeting of the presiding officers of the various state legisaltive assemblies held recently has stipulated that at least 50 sittings of the state assembly per year be held in case of small states and 100 per year in case of big states.

''Infact, we have even suggested that this stipulation be made into a law so that various states are under obligation to hold the prescribed number of sessions per year,'' the Assembly Speaker said.

About the winter session of the state assembly, he said a total of 284 notices of questions were recieved in this session. A total 60 questions were listed for answering in the house.

During this session, the House passed the Bharat Ratna Dr B R Ambedkar University (amendment) Bill, 2007 and The National Law School of Delhi, University Bill, 2007.

Although this session was of short duration and the sittings were to held up to 10 hours 30 minutes in three days but due to extension of time, sittings of the session were held for 15 hours.

UNI