Govt trying to curb impact of 'failed' demonetisation through Budget: Congress

Condemning the Budget Session which is set to begin today, the Congress asserted that the Centre had rushed this decision with the aim to curb the impact of demonetization on people.

"Despite the warning from the Election Commission that this budget should not be used for electioneering, they took an executive decision to write off interest rate for farmers while we all are trying to help the farmers," Congress lead Tom Vadakkan told ANI.

Stating that the rushed up Budget was a clear indication that demonetization had miserably failed, he further said the entire development showed how scared the government was.

The Budget Session will start from Tuesday with President Pranab Mukherjee's address to a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

Demonetisation and the GST Bill will be top priority legislations likely to be discussed during the budget session.

The Economic Survey will also be presented on the first day of the session, while the general budget will be presented on Wednesday.

The two Houses will have a month-long recess from February 10 to March 8 to enable the Standing Committees to consider the Demands for Grants of Ministries and Departments and prepare their reports.

Meanwhile, agitated by the government's demonetisation move and arrest of its party leaders in the alleged chit-fund scam, the Trinamool Congress has decided not to attend the first two days of the Budget Session of Parliament in a protest against the move, which was implemented without taking Parliament into confidence, and restrictions on withdrawal limits from bank accounts which are still in force.