Govt trying to ensure smooth Budget session

The government is bracing itself up for the Budget session of Parliament beginning next month and is finalising its strategy on handling issues arising out of "recent occurrences and controversies" to avoid the deadlock over the 2G issue that paralysed the winter session.

Various ministries and departments have been asked by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to provide brief notes to it on issues concerning them that are likely to be raised during the Budget session beginning February 21.

The notes should focus on issues including the "likely questions that may arise out of recent occurrences, controversies, action as well as non-action" on the part of the concerned ministry and department and the responses of the ministry concerned.

The PMO wants the notes to be sent at the earliest.

The entire winter session of Parliament was washed out over opposition demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the 2G spectrum allocation issue which government was unwilling to accept.

The deadlock over JPC demand is continuing and the appointment of the Central Vigilance Commissioner has become another sticky issue for the government which has tied itself in knots on the matter.

Incidentally, Finance Minister and Leader of the Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee has convened a meeting of leaders of political parties on February 8 in an apparent bid to break the deadlock in Parliament.

The meeting has been convened over lunch for "mutual consultations" over the Budget session.

President Pratibha Patil had in her Republic Day address made it clear that it was a joint responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure smooth functioning of Parliament.