UPA plans to adjourn Budget session on Mar 25

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government plans to conclude the ongoing Budget session of Parliament on March 25. To accommodate more time for campaigning for the Assembly polls in fours states and one Union Territory, the UPA leadership wants to end the Budget session this month itself after passing the General Budget, without waiting for reports from standing committees.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told Business Standard the government was planning to cancel the recess, club the two phases of the Budget session and bring the session to an end in the last week of March. Mukherjee, leader of the Lok Sabha, has already held discussions on this issue with other political parties.

According to the initial schedule, the session was to conclude on April 21, with a recess between March 16 and April 4. The Budget session was supposed to have a total of 29 sittings. Although the entire winter session of Parliament was lost due to disruptions over the Opposition’s demand for a joint parliamentary committee, the UPA managers find it difficult to go on the original schedule, as elections have been scheduled in Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Puducherry between April and May.

Mukherjee said while the demands for grants had been sent to various departmental standing committees of Parliament, the House would not wait for their reports. The Finance Bill will also be passed during March to avoid constitutional crisis.