3-week state budget session in Nagpur if situation normal: Dy speaker

Nagpur: As the winter session of the state legislature could not be held in the city due to Covid-19 pandemic, there was speculation that budget session would be held here in March. Maharashtra assembly deputy speaker Narhari Zirwad on Monday said the session would most likely be held here only if normalcy is restored. Zirwad was in the city to attend the inaugural function of Maharashtra legislature’s secretariat office at Vidhan Bhavan on Monday.
“The budget session would be of three weeks to compensate for the loss of two previous sessions, which were held only for two days due to the pandemic situation. Even last year’s budget session was curtailed for the same reason,” he told TOI.
The Nagpur Pact of September 28, 1953, mandated a winter session to be held in Nagpur for resolving issues pertaining to the region.
According to Zirwad, three-time MLA from Dindori constituency in Nashik district, the upcoming session should be held for a longer period as it would also have supplementary demands, which would need time for elaborate discussions. “Since last three sessions, the newly elected legislators hardly got a chance to speak or learn. They couldn’t witness new discussions,” he added.
While addressing the function, the NCP MLA stressed on training sessions for legislators’ personal assistants at Vidhan Bhavan so that they should be aware of rules and regulations of the legislature. He also suggested council chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar, speaker Nana Patole, deputy chairman Neelam Gorhe along with himself should visit the new office here at least once in a month.
Zirwad later told TOI that he had planned to visit the city at least once in a week after taking over the deputy speaker’s charge. “However, there’s a lot of work and it’s not possible to take time out in a week. However, I will make it a point to visit Vidhan Bhavan here once in a month, like I have suggested.”
On Patole’s announcement of opening secretariat office in Pune shortly, Zirwad said they had proposed it in Camp area of Pune where the legislature office is already present. “It will be on the same lines of Nagpur and people from that area would be befitted. There’s an immediate need for decentralization of powers for improving efficiency. It’s also very feasible in terms of expenditure,” he said.
Endorsing deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar’s demand to employ only interested staffers in the new office here, the deputy speaker said the administration can depute people from this area so that they can’t get bored. “Those coming from far off places may not work with the same intensity due to homesickness,” said Zirwad.