Odisha Assembly to function for 5 hours every day during budget session

The duration of the Budget Session of the Odisha Assembly starting March 25 will be five hours a day, which will be divided in two phases, Speaker S N Patro said.

The decision in this regard was taken at the all-party meeting held on Tuesday.

The budget session will continue till March 31.

The House will function for five hours (10.30 am to 1.30 pm and again from 4 pm to 6 pm), while adhering to all COVID-19 protocols, Patro told reporters.

During the meeting, Congress Legislature Party Leader Narasingha Mishra raised the demand for allowing journalists inside the assembly, but it was turned down in order to maintain social distancing among members as per guidelines.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the press gallery accommodates members of the assembly in order to adhere to social distancing norms.

All ministers, MLAs and assembly staff will undergo COVID-19 tests before the start of the session, officials said.

On the first day on March 25, Governor Ganeshi Lal will address the House and the proceeding is likely to to be adjourned later as a mark of respect to former chief minister Hemananda Biswal and ex-Speaker Kishore Mohanty, who passed away recently.

Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari will present vote-on-account for the 2022-23 fiscal in the House on March 30 and table the Appropriation Bill the next day. The full budget could not be presented this time due to the panchayat and urban polls in the state.