Odisha minister snubs Cong MLA, asks him to cool down

Odisha Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari Thursday snubbed senior Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja in the house and asked him to cool down instead of getting agitated while asking questions.

Pujari said this while replying a question by Saluja on irrigation in Bolangir district in the absence of Water Resources Minister Raghunandan Das in the assembly.

"See his body language. This is not a playground, but the august House," Pujari said drawing attention of Speaker S N Patro.

Pujai further said "Saluja is a senior member and he should cool down instead of getting agitated while asking questions in the House".

The Congress lawmaker had sought to know when the Bolangir district will get 35 per cent irigation as committed by the state government.

He alleged that the state government has not completed any of the major irrigation projects in Bolangir district for which farmers are facing many difficulties.

The minister in his reply said that of the 3.46 lakh hectare cultivable land in Bolangir district, irrigation facilities have been provided to 1.73 lakh hectare by end of March 2019.

"In order to ensure 35 per cent irrigation in Bolangir district, the state government has been constructing Lower Suk Tel Project, Lower Indra Project, 29 minor irrigation projects and 37 check dams," Pujari said adding that another 1500 deep tubewells would be dug in the dry western Odisha district.

The minister said irrigation facilities have been provided to 41.89 lakh hectares in the state. "Now 15 major and medium irrigation projects, 153 minor irrigation projects, 117 mega lift irrigation project, 831 check dams, 1450 community lift irrigation projects are under construction".

He said 25 new minor irrigation projects are also being built with the help of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

"Apart from NABARD assisted projects, 15 more new minor irrigation projects are planned this year," Pujari said.