Himachal Pradesh Assembly session from February 14, Speaker Pathania mulls on YouTube channel
SHIMLA: Yet another session of the Himachal Assembly is all set to begin on February 14, comparatively shorter session as compared to most Budget sessions held earlier. This is because of the upcoming Parliamentary elections.
The session will have a total 13 sittings, day one marked for the Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla‘s address.
Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu will present the state’s Budget for the year 2024-25 on February 17, his second Budget after becoming the chief minister in 2022. The Budget will be passed on February 29, the last day of the session.
As per the agenda of the House, two days have been earmarked for debate on the Governor’s address.
“We have decided to take-up obituaries on the first day immediately after the Governor’s address to save time as sessions are being kept short this year. Two obituaries listed for the condolences include one on Simmi Agnihotri, wife of Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, who died of heart attack three days back at Una, their native village,” said Speaker Kuldeep Pathania, who held a meeting with members of the Press Gallery committee on Monday. Another obituary reference will be on former MLA late Dina Nath Shastri.
Pathania said the Vidhan Sabha secretariat has received more than 785 questions from the members relating to matters pertaining to larger public interest in the state.
Four days have been kept for discussions on the Budget while two days for private members.
The Speaker, when asked about a proposal to allow live telecast of the House proceedings, said the matter was under active deliberations. There is an issue of finances involved once this hurdle is over, there will be some headway.
“Right now , we are also mulling on launching our own YouTube channel for highlighting the proceedings of the House and making the public aware about the issues coming –up for discussions in the state Assembly.”
The information received from the members through questions relates to issues like pathetic condition of roads, DPR’s of approved roads, upgradation of colleges, schools, health institutions and filling up of vacant posts in various departments, tourism, parks and drinking water. Other matters include erratic supply of electricity, steps to prevent the increasing drug abuse among the youth, increasing crime cases,damage caused by solar energy and transportation systems and natural disasters.
Speaker informed that after 22 years, the old Audio Conferencing System has been replaced and renovated inside the House at an estimated cost of about Rs 94 lakh and now a better and sophisticated Audio Digital Conferencing System has been installed.
