Telangana Assembly session to continue till July 31

Hyderabad: The Assembly is expected to debate the alleged discrimination and bias against Telangana in the Union Budget on Wednesday, after Question Hour. It is learnt that the House will pass a resolution condemning the Centre's discrimination in sanctioning of funds and projects that were promised under AP Reorganisation Act, while at the same time benefiting Andhra Pradesh under the same legislation.

The session which commenced on Tuesday will last until July 31, it was decided by the Business Advisory Committee (BAC). On Day 1, the House was adjourned after a condolence motion was passed for the late Cantonment BRS MLA Lasya Nandita, who died in a road accident.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy introduced the condolence motion and reflected on the contributions of Lasya Nandita’s father G. Sayanna. The motion was supported by all members

The BRS, BJP and the MIM said the Budget session was very short and that it should be held for a longer duration to ensure all issues of importance can be discussed in detail.

Outside the Legislature, the BRS said it would join issue with the Congress government over the Kaleshwaram project with a visit to Medigadda barrage and Kannepalli pumphouse on July 25 and 26 to demand that the water now available in Godavari river can be pumped and several reservoirs can be filled up.

Former chief minister and BRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao directed his party MLAs and MLCs visit the site to prove that the project was alive and usable.

Briefing reporters on the BRS Legislature Party meeting, former minister T. Harish Rao said that the party wanted a day-long discussion on unemployment and related matters.

The BJP demanded that the session be held at least 18 days to discuss the promises made by the Congress for people under 18 different sectors. BJP Legislature Party leader A. Maheshwar Reddy, speaking to mediapersons, said Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was hesitant to face the Assembly.

If the Appropriation Bill needed to be cleared before July 31, a constitutional requirement, why was the session not started earlier, he asked. Holding a session for three days, just as the BRS had done, was undemocratic.

AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi urged the state government to conduct session for more than 15 working days, saying issues like minority welfare, development and infrastructure of the Old City, delay in launching Metro Rail works had to be discussed. He also wanted a discussion on implementation of Urdu as the second official language in the state.