Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 20: Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu would present PDP-BJP coalition Government’s fourth budget in a row on January 11, 2018 while Governor NN Vohra would address joint session of the Legislature on January 2.
Legislative Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta today released provisional calendar for the budget session of the Assembly, which would last 40 days (January 2-February 10) and will have 27 sittings.
Drabu will present budget for 2018-19 and Supplementary Statement of Expenditure for 2017-18 on January 11. This will be fourth budget of the PDP-BJP coalition Government headed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
Drabu had presented his maiden budget in March 2015 while the second budget was presented in Srinagar in June 2016. The budget was presented this year in January 2017.
After Governor’s Address to Joint Session of Legislature on January 2, the discussion on Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s Address will take place on January 3, 9 and 10. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti will reply to the debate on the Governor’s Address in second sitting on January 10. January 4-8 will be off-days.
The Assembly will debate budget on January 12, 15 and 16. Drabu will reply to the debate on budget in second sitting of the session on January 16.
A total of 11 days (all in double sittings) have been reserved for debate on the budget of different departments.
The budget will be passed on February 2 in the form of Appropriation Bill.
The Assembly has reserved three days for Government business including February 3, 9 and 10. Two days have been reserved for Private Members’ Bill on February 5 and 7 while an equal number of days have been kept for Private Members’ Resolutions on February 6 and 8.
In 40-day session, there will be 27 sittings and 13 off-days. In 27 sittings, the Assembly will sit for double sittings on 17 days while rest 10 days will have single sitting.
Legislative Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta will hold several meetings prior to budget session of the Legislature including security review with top officers of police and civil administration, Media Advisory Committee and All Party Meeting with representatives of the parties having representation in the Assembly and Independent MLAs for smooth functioning of the budget session.
This year, budget session of the Legislature had to be abruptly adjourned sine die on February 1 nearly a week in advance due to massive uproar in the Assembly by Opposition members after Speaker Kavinder Gupta expunged remarks of the Chief Minister.
The Government had called a four-day session of the Legislature in June in Srinagar, the summer capital of the State, for discussion on Goods and Services Tax (GST) but it was adjourned on the very first day after Obituary reference. However, a three-day session on GST was held in first week of July in which the GST was passed.
Thereafter, no session of the Legislature has been convened. It had become Constitutional responsibility of the Government to convene Assembly session before January 7 as the Legislature must meet once in six months.
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