Shimla, March 9 (NationPress) In anticipation of the upcoming 16-day Himachal Pradesh Budget session, which will feature the presentation of the Budget on March 17, Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania convened an all-party discussion on Sunday to foster collaboration during the session.

Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and Chief Whip Sukhram Chaudhary represented the BJP at the meeting, while Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan and Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania attended on behalf of the Congress Legislature Party.

The session is expected to be contentious, with the primary Opposition, BJP, intent on challenging the Congress government regarding the state's dire financial situation and the ongoing political controversy surrounding the government's request for contributions from temple trusts to finance vital welfare initiatives.

Speaker Pathania informed reporters that there would be no question hour on March 10 following the Governor's Address, with the Budget presentation scheduled for March 17. A total of 963 questions will be raised during the session, including 737 starred questions and 226 unstarred questions. Notices under rule 62, rule 101, and rule 130 have also been submitted and sent to the government for action, according to the Speaker.

On March 17 at 2 pm, the Chief Minister will unveil the Budget estimates for 2025-2026. This marks the Congress government's third budget. The BJP has criticized the government for scheduling a brief Budget session with limited sittings. Additional topics likely to be discussed in the Assembly include delays in salary and pension payments and the closure of institutions. The treasury bench may accuse the BJP-led Central government of neglecting the state.

The Chief Minister has been vocal about the Centre's failure to release the state's ₹9,042 crore in financial assistance, which was promised following a post-disaster evaluation conducted by the central team after the 2023 monsoon.

During the previous Assembly session in December, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu indicated that the state government would approach the Supreme Court if necessary to defend Himachal Pradesh's rights.

Preparing to hold the government accountable, BJP leader and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur accused the Congress of failing to deliver on its promise to create five lakh jobs, highlighting the government's decision to leave 1.50 lakh positions unfilled and terminate over 10,000 outsourced employees.

“Government employees and pensioners are also facing delays in receiving their salaries and pensions,” Thakur remarked. In a rare moment of unity, the increasing issue of drug addiction and overdose deaths is expected to be addressed, as the state has recently witnessed a concerning rise in such incidents.

Prior to the Budget session, an all-party meeting was convened on Sunday, where Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu committed to outlining a strategic plan for enhancing the infrastructure and education sectors of the hill state.

The all-party meeting organized by the Speaker decided to consider extending the session by three days, with a final decision anticipated on Monday. The meeting included Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Chouhan and Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, among others.

A total of 963 questions have been submitted by legislators for the session, which is expected to conclude on March 28, unless extended by three additional days due to popular demand.

CM Sukhu is likely to preside over a Congress legislature party meeting just hours before the session begins on Monday to strategize for the floor. Meanwhile, BJP legislators convened at a private hotel in Shimla on Sunday under the leadership of Jai Ram Thakur.

CM Sukhu's emphasis on the education sector stems from his consistent criticism of the previous BJP administration for neglecting student needs.

He has also pointed out that his policies have led to the Annual Status of Education Report ranking the reading proficiency of Himachal children as the highest in the nation.

Earlier this week, PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh reiterated the state's request for special financial assistance from the Centre for urban infrastructure and digital governance projects.

Setting the stage for the opposition BJP's approach to the session, state unit chief Rajeev Bindal criticized the Sukhu government for utilizing funds from temple trusts, which were previously acquired by the state government, for budgetary initiatives.

He asserted that the intention behind this acquisition is clear: the offerings of temples should be allocated for the development and maintenance of temples, facilities for pilgrims, and the enhancement of pilgrimage sites.