C'garh Assembly session starts; Guv mentions drought relief

TheBudgetsessionof Chhattisgarh Assembly today started with GovernorBalramji Das Tandon's speech, while the opposition Congress alleged that the BJP government was ignoring the welfare of farmers and labourers.
During Tandon's address, Congress MLAs raised the issue of non-payment of wages under MNREGA and failure to hike MSP for paddy.
The Governor said the last year was challenging due to the country-wide drought; the state faced its first drought in the last 12years.
"For the first time, the state government included the word 'drought' in the list of natural calamities underRevenue BookCircular to ensure relief for farmers," he said.
"Under MNREGA, days of employment were increased from 150 to 200. Land revenue and water taxes were waived, relief was given on agricultural loan (repayment), free distribution of seeds for (the next season's) paddy crop,freepower supply upto9,000 unitsforagricultural pumps,special diesel aid and several other measures were undertaken," he said.

Under the Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah Yojana,the government hiked the financial aid for marriage of the daughters of drought-affected farmers from Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000, he said.

In all, the drought-affected farmers were given help to the tune of around Rs 2,000 crore, Tandon said.
The Governor also mentioned the steps taken for
strengthening the police force, such as sanctioning of 1,226 new posts, establishment of cyber wing and anti-terrorist squad, construction of 3,000 houses for police personnel, 800 new posts in disaster management and fire-fighting-emergency services, etc.
The state can "never repay debt of martyrdom" of the personnel of Central and state security forces who died while fighting the Naxals, he said.

"The state is heading towards winning a decisive battle againstNaxalism," the Governor added.
During the Governor's address, state Congress Chief Bhupesh Baghel and other party MLAs raised the issue of non-payment of wages under MNREGA. Senior Congress leader Satyanarayan Sharma raised the issue of government's failure tofulfilits election promise of Rs 300 bonus and MSP of Rs 2,100 for paddy.
The Governor, however, continued with his speech, and after reading out some points he said the rest can be considered as read.
Speaker Gaurishankar Agrawal then announced that the discussion onmotionof thanks onGovernor'saddress would be taken up on March 4 and 8, and adjourned the proceedings till tomorrow.