Will Rajasthan Speaker Host an All-Party Meeting Before the Budget Session?
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Key Takeaways
Jaipur, Jan 6 (NationPress) The Assembly Speaker, Vasudev Devnani, is set to call for an all-party gathering prior to the commencement of the Budget Session of the State Legislative Assembly, which is scheduled to begin on January 28.
Following the Governor's endorsement, the Assembly Secretariat released an official announcement convening the Budget Session late Monday night. All MLAs have been notified accordingly. This session will kick off on January 28 with an address from the Governor and is anticipated to last until March.
In the Governor's address, the administration will highlight its significant achievements. On the inaugural day of the session, January 28, post the Governor's address and tributes to departed leaders, the House proceedings will be suspended. Subsequently, a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) will take place to outline the agenda and timetable for the Budget Session. A debate regarding the Governor's address is expected to span three to four days, followed by the government's response. After the government's reply, a break lasting about a week is likely. The budget presentation is tentatively set for the second week of February, although a final decision has yet to be made.
The government is poised to announce several new initiatives and may introduce various schemes during this session. Plans are underway to introduce legislation in the Budget Session aimed at abolishing the two-child policy in Panchayati Raj and urban local body elections. Two distinct bills are prepared for amending the Panchayati Raj Act and the Municipal Act. Additionally, around six other bills might also be presented during the session.
This Budget Session is expected to be contentious. The Leader of Opposition, Tikaram Jully, remarked that the Congress Legislature Party is fully equipped to confront the government on multiple fronts. He emphasized that this session will serve as an evaluation of the government's performance over the past two years.
Jully accused the government of adopting a new trend of making inflated announcements in the budget that are later retracted due to feasibility issues. “For the first time in history, feasibility assessments are being conducted post-announcement, whereas they should be done beforehand. The forthcoming budget will likely be more of a formality,” he expressed.
He further claimed that the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) limits are being violated, with a significant portion of taxpayers' money being utilized solely for servicing interest payments. “There is a competition between the Centre and the state government regarding who can deepen the country's and the state's debt,” Jully added.