This govt’s sessions average 21.5 days per year, says Parrikar
PANJIM, JAN 31
The Goa Legislative Assembly was on Monday told it needs to meet for an average of 30 days in a year, a time frame which has been stipulated for smaller states in the country.
Speaking in this regard Congress Legislator Dayanand Narvekar maintained that the report of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) was normally not amended and challenged.
Narvekar said the present Government since 2007 until now had not shown any transparency in functioning of all departments as it had always sought to cut down the Assembly sessions.
He said in the past, the sessions used to be longer and shared some of the statistics of average working days of the Assembly – 2001 (29 days), 2003 – (34 days), 2004 (34 days).
Narvekar said the present Government since 2007 has never exceeded 25 days in a given year consisting of 365 days. This is a mockery of democracy, he added.
“To have debates pertaining to the legislature, judiciary and executive, the three most important wings which sum up Government functioning, more time was needed,” he asserted.
Cutting a sorry figure over the issue the Aldona MLA said including him the strength of the Indian National Congress in the House was of 20 members, so where was the question of curtailing the sessions. “I want an answer form the Government why the sessions are short,” he demanded.
BJP MLA Francis D’Souza observed that every time the BAC report was placed, the House is assured of longer sessions but the same never happens. Democracy contemplates debates on each and every issue affecting the State, he noted.
Supporting Narvekar on the issue, Opposition leader Manohar Parikar said there has to be a rule on the period of sessions in the House as this conduct of business after every six months for a small state wasn’t correct.
Parrikar observed that the Government should use sessions to correct and improve its functioning. “Responsibility and accountability will come when the House meets after shorter periods. There is a need to reconsider this decision of five-day sessions and meeting after long gaps,” he stated.
When Chief Minister Digambar Kamat defended the average days of the sessions had been 26 days in 2009, Parrikar intervened and corrected him by saying this Government averaged 21.5 from 2007 to 2010.
At this point, Kamat said he agreed the House needs to meet for at least 30 days as has been stipulated for smaller states. However, he maintained, the sessions at the beginning of the year have averaged five days since 2000.
