Bhubaneswar, Sept. 21 (UDN): With the Odisha Legislative Assembly set to begin its Monsoon Session on Tuesday, Speaker Surama Padhy will chair an all-party meeting on Monday to seek cooperation from all sides for the smooth functioning of the House.
The meeting comes a day before the seventh session of the 17th Odisha Legislative Assembly gets underway. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling, Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik, Congress Legislature Party leader Ramachandra Kadam, the Opposition chief whip and representatives of other parties are expected to participate.
The Monsoon Session is scheduled from September 22 to October 3, with official business spread across most sitting days. September 25 has been earmarked for Private Members’ Business, including Bills and Resolutions, according to the Assembly’s session calendar.
Ahead of the session, political parties are holding separate meetings to finalise their strategies. The Biju Janata Dal is scheduled to hold its legislature party meeting on Monday evening, while the Congress Legislature Party is expected to meet on Tuesday morning.
Several issues are likely to feature prominently during the session. Opposition parties have indicated that they will raise the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, alleged errors in school textbooks, law and order, and issues concerning farmers, women and youth.
The government, meanwhile, has indicated that it is prepared to discuss issues raised by the Opposition, particularly proposals brought forward for consideration in the House.
Security arrangements have also been strengthened in and around the Assembly complex ahead of the session. Police have planned a multi-layered security setup, with personnel deployed inside and outside the premises, along with rooftop surveillance and daily checks by bomb disposal and anti-sabotage teams.
With several contentious issues lined up for discussion, the upcoming session is expected to see detailed debates on matters concerning the state and its people.