Orissa assembly session begins amid noisy scenes

Bhubaneswar, Feb 14 (PTI) Amidst boycott of his speechby opposition alleging BJD government''s failure on all frontsand its role in dal scam, Orissa governor M C Bhandare todayunfolded plans for 36 per cent increase in the plan size for2011-12 to achieve speedy and sustainable economic growth.

As the budget session of the state Assembly opened ona stormy note, Congress members boycotted the Governor''saddress while BJP MLAs demonstrated in the well by displayingrotten dal being supplied to schools and anganwadi centresunder mid-day meal and supplementary nutrition programme.

Slamming Chief minister Naveen Patnaik over a series ofscams, including irregularities in the supply of pulses forchildren and pregnant women, leader of opposition BhupinderSingh led the Congress boycott of the governor''s address.

"Patnaik must take moral responsibility for dal scam andhis government''s failure on all fronts," Singh said.

Seeking Patnaik''s resignation, BJP members rushed towell shouting anti-government slogans and exhibited infecteddal collected from different schools and anganwadi centres.

BJP''s Jay Narayan Mishra and Independent member PratapSarangi gave parallel speeches from the well as the governorwas reading out the 48-page address.

Though NCP members were silent, party MLA RamachandraHansda displayed a placard demanding special grant for tribaldominated Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Dhenkanal districts inorder to end regional imbalance and disparities.

While opposition targetted ruling BJD over dal scam,the Governor said the state has implemented a host of plansand programmes for holistic development of women and children.

"Government has initiated a Nutrition Operation Plan toaddress the nutrition condition of particularly those frommost vulnerable sections of the society where malnourishmentis highest," Bhandare said.

Claiming that the state government have been striving toachieve inclusive economic growth, he said, "During the firstthree years of the 11th plan, an annual average growth rate of8.73 per cent has been achieved."

An increase of about 36 per cent has been envisaged inthe plan size for 2011-12 over the current year. An outlay ofRs 15,000 crore has been proposed by the state government forthe annual plan of 2011-12, he said.