CM turns Celebrity
The winter session of state assembly in Nagpur, unlike other sessions in Mumbai, happens with much ado where the politicians turn celebrity for the people here. Leaving aside the issues bothering big time to the citizens, the leaders turn up in style before them, pose with the chosen ones and even remain occupied signing autographs for them. Similar scene was witnessed on Tuesday, the second of the session when the people crowded around Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithiviraj Chavan to get his piece of signature. So where promises are broken, autographs compensate for the loss.
Nagpur News.
Even as the first day of the winter session of state assembly was adjourned after paying tribute to the bereaved members and former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela, the second day on Tuesday too witnessed very little work. Only eight questions out of 67 questions put up during the question hour on the second day were associated with the issues of Vidarbha. These included three questions specifically related to Nagpur.
The issue of bogus ration cards prevalent in the state was raised by MLAs Ashok Pawar, Daund MLA Rameshrao Thorat, Shivdi MLA Bala Nandgaonkar, Purandar MLA Vijay Shivtare and MLA from Charkop Yogesh Sagar. The representatives contended that a campaign to scrutinize ration cards was initiated in the state in August 2013 during which 54,06,867 ration cards were found ineligible. During the drive, it also came out that the bogus ration cards were issued to immigrants from Bangladesh. The leaders wanted to know what action was taken against the officers and employees responsible for the mess.
Replying to the query Food and Civil Supplies Minister & Consumer Protection Minister Anil Deshmukh informed that all the 54,06,867 ration cards which were found invalid were cancelled. He informed that most of these rations cards were issued when the beneficiaries were eligible for the same but later on turned invalid. In the process, action has been taken on 252 officials while inquiry is being initiated against 62 others. The special drive was conducted during the period from 2005 to 2013. Those who had not resubmitted the form were declared ineligible, he informed. He said at present there is not a single person of Bangladesh origin given the ration card.
He informed that the process to provide bar coded ration card will be started from last week of December. He asserted that Maharashtra holds the distinction of being the first state to implement Food Security Scheme.
Earlier question hour started on 11 am on Tuesday during the second day of two-week long assembly session. Tuesday’s question hour was centered around the departments held by the Chief Minister, Food and Civil Supplies Minister & Consumer Protection Minister and Minister for Water Supply and Sanitation.
It may be mentioned that there will be only 5 working days each week during the two weeks of session. The list of questions is customarily invited from the MLAs before the commencement of the session. The concerned ministry then files written reply to the concerned questions. The MLAs who are not satisfied with the answers can raise their objections during question hour of the assembly.
