Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 15: In a bid to get the budget passed before March 31, the Assembly Secretariat on directions of the Government today issued provisional calendar for budget session, which will have only 17 sittings with Saturdays and Sundays in this month apart from pious festival of Ashtami falling on March 27, which has been listed as gazetted Government holiday for Jammu in the official calendar, declared as working days.
The budget of nearly 26 Departments, presently held by 17 Cabinet Ministers including the Chief Minister and two Ministers of State with Independent Charges, will be passed in just four and half days. The second half of fifth day has been reserved for passing of the Appropriation bill, the total sum of all Departments.
The budget session starting from March 18 with election of Speaker at 10 am and Governor’s Address to joint session of the Legislature at 11.30 am will conclude on April 9 having a total of 17 working days, nine of which will have double sittings.
Official sources told the Excelsior that after election of Speaker and Governor’s Address, both Houses (Legislative Assembly and Council) will meet separately for obituary reference on March 18.
Discussion on Motion of Thanks on Governor’s Address will be held only for one and half days on March 19 and 20 while Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed would reply to the debate in the afternoon on March 20.
Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu will present budget on March 22 (Sunday).
Like Governor’s Address, debate on budget will also last one and half days on March 23 and 24 while Dr Drabu will reply to the debate in the afternoon of March 24.
The budget of 26 Departments, held by 17 Cabinet Ministers and two Ministers with Independent Charge (totaling 19 Ministers) will be taken up for discussion and passing including reply of the Ministers within just four and half days on March 25, 26, 27, 29 and 30. In second half of March 30, Appropriation bill would be taken up for passing.
Private members’ bills have been listed for March 31 and April 7 while private members’ resolutions will be taken up on April 1 and April 8. Two days April 6 and 9 have been reserved for the Government bills.
Significantly, out of 63 MLAs, who were eligible for submitting questions, private members’ bills and resolutions in the Assembly, only five of them have submitted seven bills. Each lawmaker was entitled to give two private members’ bills, four resolutions and 20 questions (10 each in starred and un-starred categories).
Only 63 MLAs were entitled to submit questions, private bills and resolutions as 25 members of the House out of a total of 89 were Ministers while Kavinder Gupta, BJP MLA from Gandhi Nagar, is tipped to be elected as the Speaker.
The 63 MLAs have, however, submitted 1052 questions and 85 resolutions.
Out of 1052 questions, 592 were in starred and 460 in un-starred category. The starred category questions are debated and replied by the concerned Ministers during the Question Hour while the MLAs get only written reply for un-starred category questions.
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