Bhubaneswar: The 40-day Winter Session of state Assembly is all set to begin Friday with strict adherence of Covid-19 norms. Like the Monsoon Session, this session of the Assembly will be conducted following Covid norms including wearing mask, face shield and maintaining social distance. The seating arrangements for the members have been made accordingly.
The session will continue till December 31 and the House proceedings will be for four-and-a-half hours each day. On the first day, Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari will present the Supplementary Budget worth `12,700 crore for the 2020-21 fiscal.
Of the total 40 working days, 31 days have been earmarked for official business, while the House will discuss the demand for grants November 26, 27 and 28. The Appropriation Bill on the first supplementary statement of expenditure will be tabled November 29, said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha.
The Private Members’ Business (Bills and Resolutions) will be tabled on five days – November 25, December 4, 9, 11 and 18. As in the last Monsoon Session, the Assembly will be held even on Sundays, he said.
The session likely to be stormy as the state government plans to pass 10 Bills, including the controversial Odisha Agriculture Produce & Livestock Marketing (Promotion & Facilitation) Bill for which an Ordinance has been already promulgated. Even though the BJD has opposed the farm Bills brought by Centre in both Houses of Parliament, it will bring one such Bill in the Assembly.
The Factories (Odisha Amendment) Bill, the Contract Labour Regulation and Abolition (Odisha Amendment) Bill, the Odisha Maritime Board Bill and the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation Amendment Bill are likely to be passed during the session.
Similarly, the government will also table the Odisha Local Fund Audit Amendment Bill, the Odisha Lokayukta Amendment Bill, the Odisha Essential Services Maintenance Amendment Bill, the Societies Registration (Odisha Amendment) Bill and the Odisha Public Libraries Amendment Bill on the floor of Assembly.