Bhopal, Mar 3: Congress member and former Madhya Pradesh minister Govind Singh today welcomed the 2008-09 state budget provision for pension and medical facilities to MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) detainees.

Initiating the general debate on the budget - presented in the Assembly on February 27 - Dr Singh said, ''the proposal is laudable and should include those who were students at the time and were behind bars for limited periods. Those who tendered apologies for release ought not to be included.''

Pension of Rs 6,000 per month would be paid to detainees who spent a minimum six months in jail and Rs 3,000 to those who spent between three and six months. Slamming the government on the issue of seeking central assistance to combat drought, Dr Singh said, ''on the one hand the regime claims it has no dearth of funds while on the other it cries foul over central assistance.''

Criticising implementation of the state government's Balram Talab and Gokul Gram Yojana, he added that the regime claimed that the state was advancing but - in reality - corruption, atrocities against the poor and exploited classes spiralled. ''In the four years of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rule, more than 36,000 employees were either assaulted or subjected to other misbehaviour. The government claims to be employee-friendly but is unable to provide dearness allowance at par with the Centre,'' he said.

Dr Singh's speech witnessed considerable interruption by Hukumchand Yadav (BJP) and some others. Speaker Ishwardas Rohani's repeated appeals to maintain calm went unheeded. Treasury bench members alleged that a certain comment by Dr Singh insulted a certain caste and Yadav boycotted proceedings. Dr Singh regretted his remark that was expunged.