Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania introduced Zero Hour in the Assembly. During the Zero Hour, the members of the House would be at liberty to raise any issue pertaining to the state or their constituencies.
The Speaker said that it was for the first time that the Zero Hour had been introduced in the Vidhan Sabha.
It would be of half an hour after the Question Hour. As the members of the House would be at liberty to raise any issue during the Zero Hour, the ministers would also have the liberty to answer the questions posed by them or submit written replies at a later stage.
He said that the Zero Hour had been started as per the tradition followed in Parliament. The members of the House could give a notice for raising issues during the Zero Hour just one hour before the start of the session, he added. Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil and Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur congratulated the Speaker on the introduction of the Zero Hour.
During the Zero Hour, Lahaul and Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana drew the attention of the House towards the toll barrier of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in the Tokala area of the district.
She said that as per the NHAI rules, there could be just one toll barrier within a distance of 60 km. However, in Lahaul, toll barriers had been set up within a distance of 60 km. PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh assured the House of taking up the matter with the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
BJP’s Bharmour MLA Janak Raj drew the attention of the House towards problems being faced by Gaddi shepherds due to shrinking pastures, failure of the government to purchase wool and drought-like conditions in the state.