MEGHALAYA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

RE-ASSEMBLE BUDGET SESSION, 2004.

BULLETIN NO. 2

(Friday, the 14^th June, 2004).

            The House met at 10 a.m with the Hon'ble Speaker in the Chair. The day was devoted for the transaction of Government Business :-

1.        QUESTIONS :

                Starred questions Nos. 1 to 8 with Supplementaries thereto and Nos.9 and 10 without Supplementary were disposed of.

2.        THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MEGHALAYA (MEMBERS' SALARIES AND ALLOWANCES)  
           AMENDMENT BILL, 2004 :

                Shri J.D Rymbai, Minister, Parliamentary Affairs, introduced The Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya (Members' Salaries and Allowances) Amendment Bill, 2004.

3.        THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF MEGHALAYA (MEMBERS' FAMILY PENSION )
           (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2004 :

                Shri J.D. Rymbai, Minister Parliamentary Affairs introduced The Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya (Members' Family Pension) (Amendment) Bill, 2004.

4.        GENERAL DISCUSSION ON THE BUDGET :

                Shri T. D. Shira, initiated the General Discussion on the Budget. He stated that peace and harmony are the pre-requisites to bring about any development in the State and because of militancy prevailing in the State, a lot of money has been spent for operation against militancy but whatever steps Government is taking up to contain insurgency problem, he pointed out that it falls short of satisfaction. The hon. Member, suggested to re-organise the entire Special Operation Team by modernising the Police Force and by doing away with the Obsolete 303 Rifles and by the introduction of new weaponary so that the force can act lie sniffers in locating the militants in their hideouts.
                The hon. member from Resubelpara was critical of Roads communication in Garo hills and called for effective measure on the part of the Government to make the operation team more effective in the mobility of police force at any point of time. He urged upon the Government to give  top priority on roads and communications for the speedy movement of produces to the markets. He also emphasized on the maximum potentiality for the   Tourism Department so that it generate employment to the unemployed youths and that seminars and sympossium should be conducted by the concern department to create awareness as the state cannot live in isolation. He also suggested that forest wealth should be exploited to the optimum and to eliminate the system of jhum cultivation and to control illegal felling of trees. He stressed for the completion of an Irrigation project in his constituency and on various other developmental aspects.
                    Shri Ardhendu Choudhuri took part. He called upon the Minister in charge Finance to take responsibility for presentation of disterted figures in his Budget speech. He stated that many figures in the budget speech are not correct but were rather  misrepresented and that the actual accounts for all the years have been received and certified by the Accountant General whereas the C.A.G has come with two sets of  accounts and also two sets of certificates and that the Forest Department was not verified. Quoting  from different pages of the Budget speech, the hon. Member from Mawprem was of the opinion that the Finance Department is misleading and hiding the facts about the actual borrowings by the Government. Referring to the last para of the budget speech, he stated that capital expenditure during the year 2000-2001 did not correspond to that in the Finance Accounts of that same year and hence he said that it is giving a rosy picture in this regard. He called for a statement from the Minister incharge finance before the Budget is passed in this house and wanted to know why no proper budgeting was done to prepare the budget on ground realties and to present a realistic budget.
                        The hon. Member from Mawprem also suggested various measure for development of the state in the  fields of Health ,Education, Agriculture ,C&R.D. and other departments of the Government.
                        Smti J.Phanbuh also took part, expressing unhappiness on the proposed sales tax on items like ceramics, tiles and steel almirahs etc. She called for the clarification from the Minister incharge why such tax should be imposed on the dealers of such items. the hon. member from Laban rather suggested imposition of sales tax on items like tobacco, cigarettes and on luxurious items like cars etc.

5.        ADJOURNMENT  :
                           Since there are no other participants, the house rose at 1.05 p.m. and stood adjourned till 10a.m. on Tuesday, the 15th june,2004.