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The West Bengal government today passed the The West Bengal Municipal (Amendment) Bill, 2011, binding municipalities to earmark 25 per cent of their funds for development of urban poor.
The Bill, which was tabled in the Assembly today, contained provisions that municipalities will create a separate fund ‘Basic Services for the Urban Poor' out of their own budgets and others sources such as Central funds and sale of municipal assets.
The basic services will include water supply, drainage, sewerage, construction of community toilets, solid waste management and other things. The fund will be non-lapsable, the Bill said.
Noisy scenes
The Assembly witnessed noisy scenes when the Speaker, Mr Biman Bandopadhyay, refused a point of order raised by the Leader of Opposition, Mr Surya Kanta Mishra, related to the hooch tragedy.
The Speaker was about to begin Question Hour when Mr Mishra raised the point of order saying the Chief Minister had said in the House that an all-party meeting would be held to find a way in tackling the illicit liquor problem in the wake of the hooch tragedy at Sangrampur.
But, he said, the Industry Minister, Mr Partha Chatterjee, had told media channels inside his office yesterday that CPI(M) leaders acted in a planned way by mixing toxic substances in the liquor.
Stating that Mr Chatterjee's statement went against the spirit of an all-party meeting, Mr Mishra said he should admit before the House that what he said was wrong.
Mr Mishra also wanted to know why television cameras were allowed inside Mr Chatterjee's chamber when the Speaker had banned the entry of camera inside the Assembly precincts except on some occasions.
When Mr Bandopadhyay refused to admit the point of order, the Left members rushed to the well shouting slogans. For sometime, nothing would be heard in the din.
The protesting members, however, returned to their seats when the Speaker began the Question Hour.
After the Question Hour, Mr Bandopadhyay ruled that the point of order was not admitted because it did not mention anything that violated the rules of the House.
He said he would look into the issue of the entry of television cameras into Mr Chatterjee's chamber located in the Assembly precincts.
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