Jogi open to extending Assembly session

By Our Principal Correspondent

RAIPUR, DEC. 10. The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, Mr. Ajit Jogi, is open to the idea of extending the first Assembly session of the State by two days to discuss the drought situation. The historic session of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly is scheduled for December 14 and 15. The State was carved out of Madhya Pradesh on November 1.

No formal business is slated for the two-day session which will see the 90-odd MLAs taking oath, election of the Speaker and customary speech by the Governor.

Since there is no building as yet for holding regular business, the ceremonial function will be held in a college building which had been temporarily converted into an official guest house.

``I can extend the session by two more days to discuss drought, if the members so desire,'' Mr. Jogi said. The extension is being considered despite December 16 and 17 being Saturday and Sunday, when normally the House does not assemble. ``Since this is an urgent issue, members can meet,'' he said. In view of the urgency of the matter, the meeting could be held on the weekend as next week will see several holidays. The State is reeling under a severe drought due to failure of monsoon this year, as a result of which lakhs of people have migrated to the neighbouring States to earn their livelihood. The State Government has sought a financial assistance of over Rs. 570 crores from the Central Government to tide over the crisis.

Chhattisgarh has 90 Assembly segments, of which 10 are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 34 for Scheduled Tribes while the remaining fall under the general category. The Congress(I) has 45 seats, followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has 36 members in the State Assembly.

Of the 11 Lok Sabha seats, two - Bilaspur and Sarangadh - are reserved for Scheduled Castes and four - Bastar, Kanker, Raigarh and Sarguja - for the Scheduled Tribes.

The remaining five are under the general category. These are Durg, Mahasamund, Rajnandgaon, Raipur and Janjgir. At present, the Congress (I) has three Lok Sabha seats while the Bharatiya Janata Party has eight.

The State has five Rajya Sabha members.

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Section  : Other States
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