Budget Session of Parliament begins with President's joint address to both Houses at 11 AM

The Budget Session of Parliament begins today. The session will commence with President Ram Nath Kovind's address to both the Houses of Parliament assembled together at 11 AM in Central Hall. After that, the copy of the President's address will be tabled in both the Houses. Economic Survey 2021-22 will also be tabled today. Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, will present the Union Budget for the year 2022-2023 tomorrow in the Lok Sabha and its copy will be laid on the Table of the Rajya Sabha soon thereafter. Our correspondent reports that this year it will be a paperless budget and the Session will be held amidst Covid protocol. 

With a view to ensure Covid safety protocol, both the Houses of Parliament will function in shifts from Wednesday.  The Rajya Sabha proceedings will be held from 10 AM to 3 PM and Lok Sabha from 4 PM to 9 PM. The first part of the Budget Session will continue till 11th of February  and it will have 10 sittings. The discussion on motion of thanks to the President  for his address and the General Budget are the major items of business for the first part of the session. This time in the Rajya Sabha, the  Zero Hour, which usually runs for one hour, has been reduced to 30 minutes. After a month-long recess, the second part of the session will begin from 14th of March and conclude on 8th of April this year in which there will be 19 sittings.

In view of the Budget session of Parliament, the government has convened an all-party meeting today to seek cooperation from all political parties for smooth functioning of the Budget Session. This  meeting will be held virtually in view of the Covid-19 situation at 3 PM. The floor leaders of political parties in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha have been invited for the meeting.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has also called a virtual meeting of leaders of parties and groups at 5 PM today to discuss the agenda for this Budget session.