The Budget Session of Parliament began Monday with the address by President Ram Nath Kovind to both Houses in the Central Hall.
“The government ensured more avenues for farmers to sell produce. We have set up storage facilities to help farmers. The government has always focused on small farmers. Government has disbursed funds to 1,80,000 farmer families. We have also ensured infrastructure near farm areas,” President Kovind said in his address.
On February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union budget for the year 2022-23. The Budget Session of Parliament will commence on Monday and is scheduled to conclude on April 8 wherein the first part of the session will extend up to February 11, said the Lok Sabha Secretariat on Sunday.
“There will be a break from February 12 to March 13 during which the Standing Committees will examine Demands-for-Grants of Ministries/Departments and prepare reports thereon. In all, there will be 29 sittings; ten in the first part and 19 in the second part,” the Lok Sabha Secretariat’s press release stated.
As per the Secretariat, the Economic Survey 2021-22 will be laid by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman in Lok Sabha on January 31, while the Budget will be presented by her on February 1 at 11 am.
From February 2 to February 11, the House is scheduled to sit from 4 pm to 9 pm. Thus, five hours have been scheduled per sitting during the first part of the Budget Session.
“During the first part of the session, the members will be accommodated in Lok Sabha Chamber and its Galleries (except Press Gallery) and Rajya Sabha Chamber and its Galleries (except Press Gallery),” the release informed.
As per the Secretariat, there will be two major items of Business during the first part of the budget session; a discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address and a general discussion on the budget. “The government has tentatively fixed four days for discussion on Motion of Thanks viz. February 2, 3, 4 and 7,” they informed.
There will be no Zero Hour and Question Hour in both Houses of Parliament during the first two days of the Budget Session. A Parliament bulletin released on Friday reads, “There shall be no ‘Zero Hour’ on January 31 and February 1, 2022. Members are informed that owing to the address of the President, during the first two days of the 8th session of the 17th Lok Sabha, there will be no ‘Zero Hour’ on January 31 and February 1, 2022.”
It is further added in the bulletin, “Members are informed that matters of urgent public importance raised during ‘Zero Hour’ will be taken up from February 2, 2022. However, it is for information of members that, to raise matters of urgent public importance during ‘Zero Hour’ on Wednesday, February 2, 2022, they may table notices on Tuesday, February 1, 2022, between 10:00 hours and 18:00 hours either online through e-portal or manually in the Parliamentary Notice Office.
During the First Part of the Session after the presentation of the Budget (February 2-11), the release stated, 40 hours of normal time will be available for various Businesses such as Question, Private Members’ Business, Discussion on Motion of Thanks, General Discussion on Union Budget, etc.
“Keeping in view the threat posed by COVID-19 pandemic, elaborate arrangements have been made in the Lok Sabha Chamber and other parts of Parliament House Complex,” the release stated.
“To ensure the norms of social distancing, members will be allotted seats in Lok Sabha Chamber (282), Lok Sabha Galleries (except Press Gallery) (148), Rajya Sabha Chamber (60) and Rajya Sabha Gallery (51),” it added. It was also informed that arrangements have been made for COVID vaccination and testing in the Complex for Members of Parliament and other visitors.