Opposition corners govt over late funds release BJP, NPP members stage walkout

Greater Kashmir

SYED AMJAD SHAH

Jammu, Mar 29: The opposition members on Monday staged walkout from the assembly after they criticized the Coalition government for releasing the funds at the fag end of fiscal and blamed the ministers of promoting ruling party activists by approving works and ignoring them in matters of developmental activities in their constituencies.

The matter was raised by MLA Harshdev Singh of Panthers Party who alleged that the minister of state for finance and planning, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma released funds for new work in his constituency without taking him into confidence.
He said the funds for the work were released two days back, which is fag end of current fiscal.
Terming the release of the fund during the end of this fiscal as a ‘grave financial indiscipline’, he asked the finance minister Abdul Rahim Rather to take action against the junior minister.
Speaker Muhammad Akbar Lone directed the government not to utilize the funds released if any, for the new work.
He also asked the government to involve the concerned members in developmental activities in their respective constituencies.
MLA Jugal Kishore of BJP said the ministers were busy in promoting their activists. He and other BJP members alleged that the ministers were looting the state exchequer to promote the ruling party workers.
Meanwhile, minister for Industries S S Salathia, who was replying to a question, got offended on the remarks of the opposition and entered in verbal duel with Jugal which prompted BJP and Panthers Party MLAs to stage a walkout.