BJP walkout after Speaker rejects adjournment motion

Shimla, Mar 7 (UNI) The entire BJP today staged a walkout from the Himachal Pradesh Assembly after the Speaker turned down its adjournment motion for suspending question hour and discussing its chargesheet against the government.

As soon as the Assembly session began, the BJP members were on their feet demanding discussion on its charge sheet, saying they had already given a notice for adjournment motion to the Speaker yesterday.

The BJP members later staged a walkout from the Assembly after the Speaker rejected their adjournment motion.

Replying to a question by Rohit Thakur and Rakesh Kalia (both Congress) during the question hour, State Industries Minister Kuldeep Kumar said the state had attracted an investment of over 16,000 crore from 2004-05 up till January 31, 2007.

He said during the last two years, jobs have been provided to 16,848 Himachalis and 4,198 non Himachalis.

Referring to district wise investment in the state, he said Bilaspur had attracted a sum of Rs 289.92 lakh followed by Rs 328.82 lakh at Chamba, Rs 984.24 lakh at Hamirpur, Rs 2,607.46 lakh in Kangra and Rs 1,552.45 lakh in Kullu district.

Besides, he said Kinnuar had received Rs 46.35 lakh investment, while Lahaul Spiti Rs 36.80 lakh, Mandi Rs 1,195.07 lakh, Rs 1,123.44 lakh in Shimla, Rs 23,866 lakh in Sirmaur, Rs 12,0951 lakh in Solan and Rs 13,286 lakh in Una district.

In reply to a supplementary by Raghu Raj (Congress), he said employment fairs were being held at various places in the state to ensure skilled manpower was made available to the units.

The state government was committed to provide 70 per cent employment to locals in the new units that were being set up in the state, he said, adding for this the workers have been issued photo identity cards besides ensuring that they were not exploited.

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