CM, Cabinet to be brought under the ambit of Lokayukta Act: Dy CM

“A revised Lokayukta Act is going to be tabled during the Winter Session to State Legislature wherein Chief Minister and entire Cabinet would come under its purview,” said Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday. “The cabinet meeting held at Ramgiri that was presided over by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde accepted the recommendation made by committee headed by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare,” he informed the newspersons. Entire report of the Hazare committee was discussed and unanimously agreed upon by the Cabinet, Fadnavis stated further.

The revised bill on empowering Lokayukta will be brought in House as Maharashtra Government is committed to transparent working, said Chief Minister while echoing views of his Deputy. Adding further, Fadnavis mentioned that the Prevention of Corruption Act would now be part of Lokayukta Act as it is going to be subsumed under new Lokayukta Act. The entire view of State Government is to stamp out corruption from Government working and fulfill aspirations of people of Maharashtra. Under the new Act, the Lokayukta will be empowered to directly refer the complaint about corruption against any functionary of Government to Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB).

Chief Minister and Deputy CM were interacting with newspersons at Ramgiri on the eve of Winter Session that gets under way from December 19. As expected, Opposition stayed away from the customary tea party of Chief Minister. The Lokpal is either a retired judge of Supreme Court of Chief Justice of High Court. Besides among the five members of Lokayukta, two are retired Judges who will head the Benches of Lokayukta. Listing this as major decision in six-month tenure of current Government, Fadnavis said that the revised Lokayukta would ensure a transparent working.

Countering the Opposition’s criticism, Fadnavis took home the battle to Ajit Pawar's camp and said latter should be knowing well as to under whose rule the backlog in Vidarbha has increased. During the session, the Government intends to table a paper detailing how development backlog increased and how much funds were released under which dispensation. Now that Pawar has remembered Vidarbha, the Dy CM asked to why District Development Plan of seven districts was scaled down by previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Government during year 2019-20.

Similarly, the Opposition has no right to seek explanation from State Government on use of defamatory language against great personalities and recalled former leaders questionable statements about desecrating birth date and place of Dr Ambedkar and courting persons who have insulted religion. Our’s stance is clear, no one should talk foul about revered personalities and Chhatrapati Shivaji Bhonsle Maharaj and Dr Ambedkar are great personalities and everyone should respect them, said Dy CM further while replying to a question.

As to statement of Pawar on boundary issue, Chief Minister said Union Home Minister intervened and brought Karnataka and Maharashtra side on table for talks. Adding to it, Fadnavis accused Opposition without taking names of inciting boundary villages to pass resolution about wanting to merge into Karnataka. When time comes the names of persons of some political parties who are formeting boundary trouble will be disclosed, he said while issuing a veiled warning.

The Government is ready for a three-week session, but Fadnavis questioned why previous MVA Government failed to convene winter session in Vidarbha during two and half years. Why only three weeks, if Opposition is ready the State Government is ready for four week winter session. Meanwhile, Opposition should ensure that winter session is fruitful and desists from disruption as State Government is ready for discussion on the floor of House.

The current State Government has cleared all the backlog of OBC, SC/ST scholarship and even budgeted for next year's dues, said Fadnavis while targeting Pawar who was Finance Minister in MVA sat upon the demands.