PANAJI
The Medium of Instruction (MoI) Bill is not likely to come up in the Budget session of the State Legislative Assembly with the select committee seeking additional data for reference.
The select committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar met on Monday at the State Legislative Assembly Complex, Porvorim.
Speaking to media after the meeting, Parsekar said, “The meeting was held today. We have asked for additional information because of which we will meet again. Now, mostly it will be after the session.”
When asked if the Bill will be tabled in the ongoing Budget session, he said, “There are more sessions in the future.”
Other committee members present at the meeting included Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral, Sankhali MLA Pramod Sawant, Dabolim MLA Mauvin Godinho, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, Tivim MLA Kiran Kandolkar, Cuncolim MLA Rajan Naik and Ponda MLA Lavoo Mamledar. Additionally, Education Secretary Verendra Kumar and officials of Education Department and Law Department were also present.
Speaking after the meeting Cabral said, “We had asked for some data on education, which they have already given us. But now more specific data has been asked for which includes the total strength of all the schools, including aided and unaided having different MoI may it be Kannada or Telugu.”
Additionally, the members have also asked the Law Department for their opinion on the Cabinet note and the actual MoI bill which was tabled in the Assembly.
“We have got our observations but let the Law Department also give its opinion. People are saying that it is getting delayed. But let it happen properly”, said Cabral.
Taking a dig at Forum for Rights to Children's Education (FORCE), he said, “What do they want. The government has not stooped the grants. They have continued. We have not misled them in any way. I don’t think FORCE should have any issue.”
