Uttarakhand assembly's budget session begins amid shoutings from opposition members

The budget session of the Uttarakhand Assembly began in the summer capital of Gairsain on Monday with Governor Lt Gen (retd) Gurmit Singh's address amid slogan shouting by opposition members.

Congress legislators trooped into the well of the house as the governor began his address and raised their demand for a CBI probe into the alleged recruitment scam.

However, the governor continued with his address highlighting the government's achievements, especially the steps taken for women empowerment and promoting education and skill development among minorities.

The governor cited the state's Medhavi Balika Protsahan Yojana, under which a grant of a maximum Rs 25,000 is given to meritorious girl students from the minority communities to reduce their dropout rate.

Under the Mukhya Mantri Hunar Yojana, renewed emphasis is given to skill development of the minority communities, he added.

Social welfare measures like increase in the amount of pensions given to the old, widows, and the physically challenged, creation of better infrastructure for tourists and devotees around ancient temples, creation of water bodies under the Amrit Sarovar Yojana, and a renewed emphasis on research and development in educational institutions were the other steps cited by the governor.