Corruption, PDS, healthcare, commercialization of education, law & order issues to dominate
Shimla: With congress beset with a leadership crisis after it lost bastion Rohru seat to the ruling BJP in a by-election recently, the upcoming six day winter session of the Vidhan Sabha at Dharamshala that starts on Monday is expected to be a lackluster and routine affair.
Picking up the issues that would be raised in the house, state congress president Kaul Singh said, rampant corruption, failings of the public distribution system, commercialization of education, a tottering healthcare service and deteriorating law and order situation would provide enough ammunition to pin down the government.
He said questions have been posed about the haste with which the government revoked suspension of a senior IAS officer, allegedly involved in a graft case, which was proof enough about their resolve for zero toleration to corruption.
By allowing opening of 18 universities, Himachal’s education system has become a joke in the country, said Kaul Singh. Commercialization of education would be opposed in the session, he added.
Shortage of doctors, rising cases of swine flu, unavailability of food grains under the PDS delivery system and other issues would be raised, said Kaul Singh.
Buoyant after BJP win in Rohru, a seat that for the last two decades was represented by former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, the ruling party is expected to play upon the open dissensions visible within the opposition ranks in the assembly.
Filing of an affidavit in the Supreme Court, denying Himachal any rights to free power from the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) projects, is likely to used against the opposition as it is the ruling party in the centre.
The ruling benches are expected to hold congress, especially as it has two representatives from the state in the Manmohan Singh cabinet, responsible for neglecting the interest of the state.
With the term of incentives allowed under the industrial package coming to a close in March, the congress is expected to face flak as minister in charge Anand Sharma happens to be a state MP.
Talking about the business to be taken up, JP Nadda, minister for parliamentary affairs said that besides the regular questions, a new excise bill and an amendment to the rent control bill for bringing about a balance to the rights of the tenants vis a vis the owners are expected to legislated in the session ahead.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
