All India Ex-MLAs council convention in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, May 17: Former ministers, speakers and MLAs across the country under the aegis of the All India Ex-MLAs Council will meet here on May 26 to discuss various problems and chalk out strategies for industrial and agricultural growth of the country.

Talking to mediapersons here yesterday, Orissa Ex-MLA Council president Prafulla Samal said former MLAs of 29 states would attend the day-long convention to deliberate on environment policy, food policy, population growth, agricultural and industrial development.

Mr Samal said no controversial issues would be taken up in the convention adding that the former MLAs on the basis of their experience would rather give several suggestions to help the state governments in implementing various developmental programmes in the country.

He said so far 64 former MLAs, including some former ministers and speakers from various states, had given their consent to participate in the convention.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Leader of Opposition J B Patnaik and Speaker Maheswar Mohanty have been invited to grace the occasion.

Mr Samal said according to a preliminary estimate there were about 8000 former MLAs in the country and 21 states had already constituted Ex-MLA councils to take up various issues and extend helping hand to the government in executing various developmental programmes.

UNI