During this budget session opposition members did not enter the well of the House. Whatever criticism they made, protests registered were done from their respective seats. Even the Chief Minister's intervention during the debate on the motion of thanks to the governor for his address was heard without any major disruption. Walkouts did take place but without bitterness.

According to Bhagvan Dev Israni, principal secretary of the Vidhan Sabha this miracle was achieved due to the cooperation and coordination between Treasury benches and the opposition. He has all praise for Bala Bachchan, officiating leader of the Congress Legislature Party, who displayed remarkable gesture of constructive opposition. Bachchan is officiating as leader in the absence of Satyadev Katare who is bedridden.

After passing the annual budget for the year 2016-2017 the Vidhan Sabha has been adjourned for the Holi festival and will reassemble on March 29.

Before the Vidhan Sabha passed the Appropriation bill Congress MLA Sunderlal Tiwari while participating in the discussion alleged that the Finance Minister had misled the House. The recommendations of the Finance Commission, which are yet to be accepted by the central government, formed basis of the budget. The State government took the liberty of extending credit limit from 3 per cent to 3.5 per cent.

Yashpal Singh Sisodia of BJP said, “Lots of developmental work was done during BJP tenure. It is a good budget. During Congress rule, irrigation was confined to just seven lakh hectares, which had now grown to 36 lakh hectares.”

Congress MLA Jitu Patwari said, “Madhya Pradesh lags behind even Bihar in industrial growth. In service sector also MP is lagging behind Bihar. There is a big gap between per capita income in rural and urban areas. Budgetary allocation has been reduced for various heads including sports, forest and others.”

Deputy Leader of Opposition Bala Bachchan said, “The Central-state funding ratio has been reduced drastically. In 2003, it was 90:10 but now it is 60:40. Therefore, it is a matter of serious concern for the state government. Even for Ujjain Simhastha, the central government has reduced the grant from Rs 200 crore to Rs 100 crore.”

Bachchan also raised the issue of poor recovery. Congress leader said, “If the government made recovery, it would not have to distribute dried berries (Sukha Ber). As per the CAG report, Rs 1500 crore has been less recovered.”

Finance Minister Jayant Mallaiya said, “CAG report will go to the Public Accounts Committee, which is headed by your MLA Mahendra Singh Kalukheda. The report cannot be discussed till it is presented before the PAC”

Several issues of public importance were raised and discussed in the House. Among them were the criminal activities of mine and sand mafia.

One of the major issue which rocked the Vidhan Sabha proceedings related to the violent and criminal activities of the mine and sand mafia. Originally the issue was raised by Congress members but they received support from ruling party members also.

The issue was raised in the House through the call attention motion by legislators which included Congress' Govind Singh and Ramniwas Rawat and BJP's NS Kushwaha.

Singh said that sand mafia was regularly attacking officers, both civil and police and also people in Gwalior, Bhind and Morena, with the state government failing miserably to put a check on such incidents. Singh, who is from Bhind, said over the last seven to eight years, many people, including officials has been killed by the sand mafia. He said on March 6 this year, forest guard Narendra Kumar Sharma was crushed to death in Gwalior while he was chasing illegal sand miners. 'If the home minister wants, the police can stop illegal mining in the area. Despite our repeated requests to the government illegal sand mining is going on, in the Lahar and Minoan tehsils of Bhind district. Almost every day 400 to 500 truckloads of sand is being ferried through trolleys,' he said.

Bharatiya Janta Party's Kushwaha said strong action against sand mafia was required as small measures won't make any difference. 'There is lawlessness in the area. The sand mafia is firing bullets...,' he said. Another BJP lawmaker Kailash Chawla said there should be no passing the buck between mineral resources department and the police authorities. 'The government has to be strict with the sand mafia', he said. BJP legislator from Burhanpur, Archana Chitnis suggested that there should be joint check posts or stations of mining, revenue and police officials in the area for effective action against sand mafia.

In his reply to call attention motion, Home Minister Babulal Gaur said since 2013, 35 cases were filed in Gwalior, Morena and Bhind against sand mafia for attacking officials who had tried to stop illegal sand mining. He said from time to time, police, mining and revenue officials had launched joint campaigns and subsequently lodged cases.

'It is not right to say that the state administration feels helpless before the sand mafia,' he said. Gaur further said though mining activities were looked after by the mineral resources department, the police took action whenever a complaint was lodged.

Following the reply, many Congress legislators started shouting about the failure of the state government to stop violence by sand mafia. Many of them rose and staged a walkout, amid chanting of slogans demanding stopping illegal mining. After that speaker adjourned the House for some time.

Another important issue, which repeatedly figured during the budget session related to what was described as the miserable plight of farmers.

The Opposition accused the state government of evading major issues concerning compensation for farmers who suffered less than 50 per cent crop loss.

Unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms accompanied by high velocity winds over the last fortnight have wreaked substantial damage to winter crop, exposing farmers to second crop loss in a row in the state. Farmers also bore the brunt of freak rain in 2015.

The BJP and the Congress traded charges in the House, with the ruling party accusing the opposition of trying to politicize the issue. Deputy leader of Opposition, Bala Bachchan, on the other hand, accused the government of not being specific about its plans for farmers who suffered less than 50 per cent crop loss and other issues related to bank loans of farmers. (IPA Service)