IMPHAL, February 18: Thangmeiband MLA Kh Joykishan Singh today proposed live telecast of the 13th session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly which will commenced on February 19 on local cable TV channels.
Speaking to media persons at this residence during a press meet, the MLA said as of now, the Assembly secretary is allowing on the starred questions period to be live telecast.
He said he has already submitted an application to the Assembly Speaker today requesting him to allow live telecast of the whole proceedings of the session on local cable TV channels.
The budget session is one of the most important session and there is a need to maintain transparency before the public during such an important session which could be achieved by the live telecast of the entire session on live television, he added.
At the same time, maintaining transparency before the public is also good for the government, he said, and added that during the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha sessions, information of government achievements are discussed which is live telecasted ensuring that debates are raised in TV channels with the people participating.
Joykishan observed the Assembly session should not be conducted within close doors and should be live telecasted on TV for the public to know what is going on inside the close door of the Assembly.
Replying to a query, the MLA said during the upcoming Assembly session he will focus his discussions on issues pertaining to the State Planning department, Public Works Department and the CAF&PD.
He said as per the State Planning Department, Rs one crore is sanctioned for every constituency of the State, however, in his knowledge, the amount for the two constituencies of Thangmeiband and Thongju are reduced by half by the State PWD which is questionable.
He further claimed that the Manipur Development Society, which is under the State Planning department, has misutilised more than Rs 200 crores of central funding although many of the projects have been delayed.
He charged that the supplementary budget of Rs 4 crore each are only favoured to constituencies of the State Chief Minister, Works minister and Speaker and even the remaining ruling MLAs are not favoured.
Further speaking on the issue of works department, he said that from the non-plan budget not even 5 percent has been implemented in the hill areas.