CM’s suppl budget follows Oppn uproar, eviction
LUCKNOW: Just a few months ahead of the assembly polls, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday presented 2016-2017’s first supplementary budget of Rs 25347.76 crore that was preceded by high drama and pandemonium in the House.
The budget, mainly for completion of ongoing infrastructure projects before the polls, was presented amid empty opposition benches after they created a ruckus and were evicted from the assembly.
Even before the assembly proceedings started, BSP, BJP, RLD and Congress legislators, in a bid to corner the government on various issues, jumped into the Well of the House with placards and banners, prompting the Speaker to order their eviction.
The big allocations in the budget are additional grant of Rs 1,300 crore for construction of Samajwadi Poorvanchal Expressway to connect Lucknow with East UP and additional allocation of about Rs 3,000 crore for construction and maintenance of roads and bridges across the state.
The budget also includes token allocations of Rs 5 crore to boost incubators under the UP Information Technology and Startup Policy-2016, additional allocation of Rs 124.13 crore for construction of sports college and international cricket stadium in the chief minister’s native village Safai and allocation of Rs 20 crore for organising Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup-2016 in UP, among others.
Besides allocating funds for some other projects, including Lion Safari in Etawah and Rs 10 crore for sports complex in Rampur, the home district of senior minister Azam Khan, the chief minister has also allocated funds for creating sports facilities in many other districts.
Also, Rs 1 crore has been allocated for an indoor boxing hall in Chowk Stadium, Lucknow and a token allocation of Rs 50 lakh has been made to provide land for setting up of sports academies in the state.
Earlier the state assembly completed its business within two hours in the absence of members from major opposition parties. Those who tried to create ruckus were evicted within minutes after the house assembled at 11am.
As the opposition members refused to take seats despite repeated pleas, minister for parliamentary affairs Azam Khan moved a resolution for their eviction. The marshal and watch and ward staff of the House then took them out of the house.
During the ruckus BSP members were seen carrying banners with “Daliton par atyachar band karo” and “clear sugarcane dues” slogans. Some slogans raised by members included demands for death to Bulandshahar gang rape accused and security for women. Congress members also demanded immediate payment of dues to cane growers.
Other items taken up by the Speaker after the opposition members’ eviction included two ordinances -- CAG performance audit report on empowerment of women and five bills.
Khan later moved another resolution seeking permission of the House to allow entry of the evicted members. While the BSP and BJP members stayed away, Congress members returned to the House. Congress Legislature Party leader Pradeep Mathur later termed the eviction ‘undemocratic’.