In the midst of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the State Legislative Assembly, in one of its shortest sittings, passed the Odisha Appropriation Bill for 2020-21 by a voice vote on Monday.
The Bill was adopted in the Assembly’s second phase of Budget Session that resumed at the Convention Hall of Lokseva Bhawan (State Secretariat) here.
The Appropriation Bill of Rs 1,55,963 crore was passed just in 30 minutes without a debate after commencement of the session at 10.30 am.
Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro applied guillotine to pass the Bill and adjourned the House for an indefinite period. This was informed by ruling BJD MLA Amar Prasad Satpathy as media had not been allowed to cover the proceedings.
The House met at the Lokseva Bhawan Convention Hall as an official of the Assembly was found to have come in contact with a person testing positive for COVID-19 and the Speaker ordered for sanitisation of the entire Assembly building.
Only 30 per cent of MLAs of each political party had been allowed to attend the House sitting to ensure observance of social distancing. Those who attended wore masks in their mouths.
Notably, the first phase of the Budget Session for 2020-21 had begun on February 14 and continued till February 26. The second phase commenced on March 11. However, taking precautionary measure to tackle the COVID-19, it was adjourned on March 13 till March 29.
