Maharashtra Council: Uproar over Kelkar Committee report

Congress members staged a walkout amid the din over the alleged leakage of the Kelkar Committee report in a newspaper

Maharashtra Legislative Council today witnessed uproarious scenes on the alleged leakage of Kelkar Committee report in a newspaper and amid the din Congress members staged a walkout from the House.

Manikrao Thakre (of Congress) raised the issue of developmental backlog in the state's Vidarbha and Marathwada regions and demanded a detailed discussion on it.

He also demanded that the government must table the Kelkar Committee report today.

Bhai Jagtap, Sharad Ranpise (of Congress), Jayant Patil (of PWP)) also supported the demand raised by Thakre.

Amarsingh Pandit of NCP showed a copy of a newspaper and said that, "What is going on, the Kelkar Committee report is published in newspaper. But, we don't have information about it and it is not tabled in the House."

Most of the Congress and NCP members then started shouting and demanded that the government should table the report immediately.

State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said, "We are serious about Vidarbha and Marathwada issues and discussion on them. Just one news published in the newspaper does not mean the report is leaked."

"The Kelkar Committee report has 750 pages and in two days discussion on it is quite impossible. But, we will table it during this winter session. If all members are ready, then we are ready to hold the budget session of the House in Nagpur also," the minister said.

Leader of the House Eknath Khadse said, "The government received Kelkar Committee report six months back. .... We are ready to table it and hold a discussion on it. We are ready to extend the time of the winter session for this purpose."

Manikrao Thakre demanded that the government should table the report today.

"But, they are not interested in discussion. We are going out," Thakre said following which Congress members walked out of the House immediately.

Sunil Tatkare (of NCP) said that the Kelkar Committee report is very important and will give a new direction for Maharashtra.

The Kelkar Committee, constituted in May 2011, studied the regional imbalance with regard to irrigation, agriculture, education, business, industries, self-employment and private investment.