CHENNAI: Assembly Speaker M Appavu on Wednesday said the State Assembly will sit for 22 days between April 6 and May 10 to discuss the demands for grants for various government departments. The DMK government has met its electoral promise — albeit partially — of telecasting live the proceedings of the State Assembly, but its other electoral promise of conducting Assembly sessions for at least 100 days a year may be difficult to be fulfilled this year.
The budget session that includes the session for discussing the demands of departments is the longest in a year and is going to be concluded in a month. The winter session generally lasts not more than a week. Hence, the total days the House may sit may not exceed 45 days this year. The DMK in its poll manifesto slammed the AIADMK government for holding Assembly session only for a few days, and said people’s problems could not be addressed because of this.
Asked about the promise a few months ago, Speaker Appavu said the Business Advisory Committee of the House would be making a decision on the session’s duration. Normally, if the ruling party decides and proposes, it is possible to ensure a longer session. Political analyst Tharasu Shyam said 22 days may not be sufficient for discussing the demands of more than 50 departments.
For example, demands for higher education and school education will be taken up on the same day though issues pertaining to these departments need to be discussed extensively. Though a separate agriculture budget has been submitted, demand for grants of allied departments will be taken up for discussion on a single day. The demands of police department and five other demands will also be discussed in one day.
Law and order issues need elaborate discussion, Shyam said. “The Speaker should allot more time at least for important demands to give room for fruitful discussions,” he added.
Talking to TNIE, Senthil Arumugam, State secretary, Makkal Needhi Maiam, said the Assembly sessions have become a ritual over the years and both Dravidian parties did not take efforts to improve them. Decades ago, the House sat for more than 150 days to 200 days in a year to discuss people’s issues. Now, at least, the session should be convened for 100 days, he said. “Demand and issues of each department should be discussed at least for two days and fruitful decisions should be taken,” he added