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Uttar Pradesh to have new legislature building; budget session ends
Both Houses of the Uttar Pradesh legislature were adjourned sine after the state budget for 2023-24 was passed. The session was earlier scheduled to continue till March 10.
Uttar Pradesh will have a new Vidhan Bhavan (legislature building) to house the state legislative assembly and legislative council, parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Kumar Khanna announced in the assembly on Friday.
He made the announcement on a day on which the state legislature’s budget session came to an end with both Houses (assembly and legislative council) being adjourned sine die after the state budget for 2023-24 was passed. The state government had earlier proposed to run the house till March 10.
Funds have been allocated for the new building in the budget for the financial year 2023-24, Khanna said.
Speaker Satish Mahana adjourned the House sine die after Khanna moved a resolution suggesting that the rules be relaxed to approve the remaining agenda. He said the state government had made arrangements for the new legislature building that may be completed before the end of the term of the 18th state assembly. The House also passed the Uttar Pradesh Appropriation Bill-2023.
The state government also said Jhansi Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority (JBIDA) will be set up on the pattern of Noida (New Okhla Industrial Development Authority).
“We wanted the House to run longer. But there was pressure from the members in view of the forthcoming festival of Holi. We have decided to set up the Jhansi Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority (JBIDA) on the pattern of Noida. We have received a large number of investment proposals. We have received 223 MoUs for the Jhansi region,” said Khanna who had presented the ₹6.90-lakh crore state budget on February 22.
He referred to the state legislative assembly’s move to award a day’s punishment to six police personnel (including a retired IAS officer). He said all the parties had been speaking about the dignity of the House and if the Samajwadi Party had taken part in the proceedings, the same would have been better. He said a large number of members, about 250-300, took part in the proceedings during the session. He also announced honorarium to different categories of employees of the House on the pattern of the announcement made earlier.
After adjournment of the House, the members gathered outside the Vidhan Bhavan for a group photo.
Satish Mahana said the House had 11 sittings and conducted business for 83 hours and 38 minutes during the budget session. The House remained adjourned only for 36 minutes during the session.
Samajwadi Party MLA Rakesh Singh said the state government should also establish a club for lawmakers on a par with Constitution Club, New Delhi. The club should have modern facilities, including gymnasium and swimming pool, he said.
