The Congress party is gearing up to address various societal concerns in the Odisha Assembly during the upcoming budget session starting on February 17. A meeting of the Congress Legislature Party was convened to strategize for the session, with the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president, Bhakta Charan Das, in attendance. Das emphasized the party’s commitment to holding the state government accountable for its alleged failures.
The Congress party plans to confront the government on issues such as farmers’ grievances, industrial pollution, the Mahanadi water dispute, electricity for farmers, tax relief, women’s safety, youth employment, land allocation to Dalits and tribals, and job scams. Congress MLAs will also highlight the government’s unfulfilled promises to the public. The budget session is anticipated to be intense, with both the Biju Janata Dal and Congress aiming to challenge the government, particularly on the paddy procurement chaos.
The Leader of Opposition and BJD president, Naveen Patnaik, has urged party MLAs to address farmer distress and the deteriorating law-and-order situation. An all-party meeting chaired by Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy was conducted to ensure the smooth functioning of the session. The State Budget presentation by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, scheduled for February 20, will mark the commencement of the session, which is set to conclude on April 8, spanning 28 working days in two phases.
