BHUBANESWAR: Speaker Surama Padhy on Wednesday expressed displeasure for the delay in the construction of residential quarters for the MLAs.
Expressing her dissatisfaction over the tardy pace of progress of the project, the Speaker told mediapersons that she has thoroughly reviewed the project at least twice and found the pace of implementation to be very slow. “It is not satisfactory at all. The pace of work has been extremely slow because of certain decisions taken earlier,” she added.
Padhy hoped the work will be completed by the end of 2025. MLAs who are not allotted official quarters will get Rs 30,000 per month, she informed.
Leader of the Congress legislature party (CLP) Ramachandra Kadam also expressed concern over the delay in completion of the project. Kadam said MLAs are facing inconvenience because of tardy progress in the construction of quarters for them.
Stating that the Speaker and the state government should monitor the work regularly, he said MLAs are forced to stay in guest houses and other places in absence of quarters.
The state cabinet had approved a budget of Rs 510 crore for construction of residential quarters for MLAs in Bhubaneswar in September 2022. The project was targeted to be completed within two and half years. The quarters include 195 Type VI and 105 Type VII quarters. The project has been undertaken at Unit IV area of Bhubaneswar where the MLA colony was earlier situated. Besides the MLAs, sources said, some quarters will be meant for senior officials of the state government.