Hyderabad: The winter session of the TS Assembly and Legislative Council, that commences on Friday, will continue till December 30, with three holidays on December 18, 24 and 25.
The session will have a special discussion on the sufferings of the common man due to demonetisation. This discussion will be taken up in the Assembly on the first day and in the Council the following day.
Business Advisory Committee meeting that was convened by Speaker S. Madhusudana Chary on Thursday to finalise the agenda, was attended by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. Mr Rao promised healthy discussion on each and every subject the Opposition would raise.
He also promised to extend the session beyond December 30 into the New Year from January 2 for one more week. However, a final decision on this will be taken only on December 30.
Mr Rao also informed the Opposition leaders that he would make a few statements in the House on important subjects. Besides, the government will initiate special discussions on its flagship programmes like Mission Kakatiya, Mission Bhagiratha, 2BHK housing etc. He asked the Opposition leaders that in view of government coming forward to discuss all the issues, it would be better for them to confine to the issues instead of levelling baseless allegations leading to pandemonium in the House.
Initially, the CM was reluctant for a discussion in the House on the effects of demonetisation stating even Parliament was unable to discuss the issue over the last few weeks.
BJP floor leader G. Kishan Reddy said it is not a state government subject to discuss here. However, when MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi insisted on a debate on the issue, Mr Rao agreed. It was also decided to extend Question Hour by 30 minutes to allow replies and supplementaries for all listed questions.
Legislative affairs minister T. Harish Rao who attended the BAC meeting convened by Legislative Council chairman K. Swamy Goud, promised discussion on demonetisation, and all other issues.
Among other issues, the Nayeem encounter and criminal activities of his gang are part of the agenda approved by both Council and Assembly. Meanwhile, at the CLP meeting that was held prior to the BAC meeting, it was decided to adopt an aggressive stand against the government on some identified issues like pending fee reimbursement dues, farm loan waiver, absence of input subsidy to farmers who lost crops in khariff, etc.
Though Leader of the Opposition K. Jana Reddy suggested the party play a constructive opposition role by taking up issues in a systematic way, Members of CLP did not agree to this. At one stage, a few members suggested it would be better to move a no-trust motion against the government as it would give a chance for them to criticise it in detail.
However, Leader of the Opposition Shabbir Ali shot it down, saying that it will not serve any purpose as the rules allow the ruling party a lion’s share of the time.
Mr Jana Reddy told the members that it would be better to watch the developments in the House for the first few days and then come to any decision.
