The MMDR Amendment Act is expected to dominate proceedings as the fifth day of the Odisha Assembly’s Monsoon Session begins on Monday, with Opposition parties BJD and Congress likely to raise the issue and target the state government.
The BJD is also scheduled to stage a protest outside the Assembly, raising the possibility of further disruption inside the House. The first four days of the session witnessed repeated adjournments as Opposition members protested over the MMDR amendment and other issues.
The political standoff over the amended mining law has continued in the Assembly, with the BJD and Congress demanding its withdrawal. The state government, meanwhile, has said it has not yet made a quantified assessment of the law’s possible financial impact on Odisha.
Question Hour to Cover Key Departments
Question Hour on Monday is scheduled to cover several departments, including Health and Family Welfare, Home, Parliamentary Affairs, Finance, General Administration and Public Grievances, and Electronics and Information Technology.
The proceedings will depend on the conduct of business amid the Opposition’s planned protest and the issues it is expected to raise.
Assembly Witnessed Repeated Adjournments
The Assembly was adjourned on each of the first four days of the Monsoon Session, limiting the time available for discussion on several issues.
However, the issue of errors in SCERT textbooks was taken up on September 25.
School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond informed the House that 1,741 errors had been detected in textbooks for Classes 1 to 8. He said the government was continuing to supply corrected textbooks to students, with around Rs 175 crore spent on printing and supplying the books.
The minister also said action had been taken against 10 persons in connection with the errors, while disciplinary proceedings had been initiated against six deputy directors.
Government Yet to Assess MMDR Financial Impact
The MMDR dispute has remained a major point of contention between the government and the Opposition.
Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena recently told the Assembly that the government had not made a quantified assessment of the financial implications of Section 9D of the amended MMDR Act, including the potential impact on mineral tax revenues and arrears.
The amended law has triggered concerns among Opposition parties in Odisha over the state’s taxation powers relating to mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands. BJD has separately intensified its campaign against the amendment and sought its withdrawal.
With the MMDR issue expected to dominate the fifth day, the extent to which the Assembly is able to conduct normal business will depend on the proceedings amid the Opposition’s planned protest.
