Two-day orientation session for Odisha MLAs concludes

Bhubaneswar, Aug 18 (PTI) The two-day orientation programme for newly elected members of Odisha Legislative Assembly concluded here on Sunday.
    Opposition parties - BJD and Congress - boycotted the programme, citing "breach of protocol." BJP and independent MLAs attended the orientation.
    Addressing the valedictory session, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh emphasised the importance of prioritising the country's interests over personal ones. He cautioned that obstructing House proceedings without cause could hinder the state's and country's development.
    Harivansh advised the MLAs to leverage the knowledge gained from the orientation effectively. "The people have sent you to the Assembly with strong faith to shape their future. We must fulfill this responsibility effectively to earn their trust," he said.
    Assembly Speaker Surma Padhy, presiding over the function, remarked that the orientation programme would provide new direction for the elected MLAs. She stressed the necessity of maintaining discipline and good traditions in the House for a developed and welfare-oriented state.
    Speaker Padhy also highlighted that active participation in discussions on various issues would lead the state towards development and foster a healthy democratic tradition.
    Deputy Chief Ministers Kanak Vardhan Singhdeo and Pravati Parida, along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling, were among those who attended the programme.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)