Patna: The short monsoon session of the Bihar legislature began on Friday with Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary reminding members of their responsibility in ensuring smooth functioning of the House.

"Our thrust should be the development of the state and raising issues of public concern," he said.

But the Opposition made it known it is gearing up for a fight, never mind the limited time - the monsoon session will actually have just four days in which questions and discussions are to be held.

Congress legislators were seen standing outside the Assembly building carrying placards denouncing the recent attack on Swami Agnivesh in Jharkhand.

After the day's proceedings were adjourned, leader of Opposition in the Assembly Tejashwi Yadav told reporters the RJD will underscore the failings of the Nitish Kumar government. "The so-called double engine which came into being following the opportunistic alliance between the JDU and the BJP has brought no benefits to the state. On the other hand, law and order seems to have collapsed as crimes against women are taking place at an unprecedented rate," Tejashwi alleged.

Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi tabled the first supplementary budget for the financial year 2018-19 of over Rs 19,771 crore. Over Rs 13,916 crore is committed payment for contingency funds, relief work during natural calamity and salary of contract teachers. Among other schemes for which the amount is to be used are old age pension, Swachh Bharat projects and construction of roads in Maoist-hit areas. An amount of Rs 222 crore has been set aside for the acquisition of the Patna-Digha railway line.

The House was adjourned for the day after obituary references.