Budget session for the fiscal year 2021-22 is beginning today with the President’s address followed by the presentation of the economic survey. The Union Budget will be presented on February 1 by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address after the budget presentation. The session will be held in two parts—January 29 to February 15 and March 8 to April 8. The session will have a total of 33 sittings.
This is the first session after the last year’s monsoon session as there was no winter session in 2020 because of covid situation
President inaugurated the session
President Ram Nath Kovind addressed the Parliament to open the budget session today in the same traditional way as it used to be before the pandemic.
Underlining the relevance of the joint session of parliament amid the covid pandemic the President said, “It is a new year and a new decade and we are also entering into the 75th year of Independence. Today all MPs are present here with a message and trust that however tough be the challenge neither we nor India will stop.”
The presidential address is one of the most dignified occasions of the parliament and it is the only occasion when both the houses, the President and the entire parliament come together.
This decade is of vital role for India’s progress, said PM Modi
Just before the Presidential address Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed the media for the budget session saying, “Today commences the first Session of this decade. This decade is very important for the bright future of India.”
He also said that the time has come to fulfill the dreams of our freedom fighters.
This budget session different from all the budget session in Indian history, in a way, the finance minister had to present 4-5 mini budgets in 2020 in the form of different packages. So this budget will be seen as a part of those 4-5 mini budgets, I believe this, said the PM.
This decade should be fully utilised. Keeping this in mind, there should be discussions in this session focussing on the decade – this is expected by the nation. I believe that we will not lag behind in making our contribution to the fulfilment of people’s aspiration, said Modi.
Some Congress MPs raised slogans at the time of Presidential address
Member of Parliament Ravneet Singh Bittu raised slogans during President’s address demanding a repeal of three farm laws.
Economic survey to be tabled
Following the presidential address, the government tabled the economic survey for the year in the House.
The survey is a detailed report on the performance or state of the economy during the year gone. The survey acts as a prequel to the Union Budget by detailing the country’s performance and forecasts economic growth for next year.
First presented in 1950-51, the flagship document not only puts in perspective the country’s economic condition but also analyses trends in money supply, agricultural and industrial production, infrastructure, import, exports etc.
19 opposition parties have boycotted the Presidential address over the contentious farm laws
The crucial budget session began with as many as 19 opposition parties announcing their decision to boycott the President’s address in solidarity with the farmers agitating against the three contentious farm laws.
The session is also likely to witness acrimonious scenes, with the opposition all set to corner the government on issues like recession, job losses, handling of Covid crisis, LAC stand-off with China and the WhatsApp chat leaks of Arnab Goswami.
The parties boycotting the address are the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, National Conference, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI, Indian Union Muslim League, RSP, Peoples Democratic Party, MDMK, Kerala Congress (M) and the All India United Democratic Front.
Bahujan Samaj Party, Shiromani Akali Dal and Aam Aadmi Party also separately announced their decision of boycotting the address.
There are total 20 opposition parties in the parliament, out of which 19 have boycotted the address.
Speaker called all the parties for a meet
To seek the cooperation of various parties for the smooth functioning of the budget session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has called for a meeting of all political parties on Friday which is expected to be attended by PM Modi.
With the session starting barely days after the national capital witnessed unprecedented violence on Republic Day during the farmers’ tractor parade, the issue is expected to echo in Parliament.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urged opposition’s cooperation and convened a meeting of all political parties ahead of Budget Session.
Sixteen opposition parties release a joint statement in Rajya Sabha
The statement released by 16 parties reads, “The Prime Minister and the BJP government remain arrogant, adamant and undemocratic in their response. Shocked by this insensitivity of the government, the opposition political parties, reaffirming the collective demand for the repeal of the anti-farmer laws and in solidarity with the Indian farmers, have decided to boycott the President’s address.”
The statement was released by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Azad alleged that the opposition is against the manner in which the three bills were passed in Parliament after rules and regulations were “thrown in the dustbin”.
The parties have alleged that the farm bills were brought without any consultations with states and farmer unions, and lacked national consensus.
Budget to be paperless
With a view to have a paperless budget, all the documents and the economic survey would be made available online soon after the authenticated copies are laid on the table of the House, the Lok Sabha Secretariat has said.
Proper adherence to Covid protocols
This session will be held as per Covid-19 protocols, with Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha meeting in shifts of five hours each — with the upper house meeting from 9 AM to 2 PM and the lower house in the evening from 3 PM to 8 PM.
The members will also be seated at three different locations in the parliament which are the Central Hall and Chambers of both the houses.
Comeback of Question Hour
The question hour, which could not take place during the monsoon session, has also made a comeback in this session. The monsoon session also saw the two Houses working on Saturdays and Sundays. But this time, Parliament will not sit on weekends.
Private members’ business to take place
Private members’ business, which usually takes place on Friday afternoons, will also be part of the budget session, according to the Lok Sabha secretariat. In the previous session, the private members’ business was not taken up.
Fast execution of Ordinances
During the session, the government will also push to convert ordinances issued recently into laws. An ordinance has to be converted into law within 42 days of the beginning of the session, else it lapses.
The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance 2020, The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 and The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 are some recently issued ordinances.
