Andhra assembly budget session till June 21

The budget session of the Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly, which resumed Monday after a two-and-half-month recess, will continue till June 21.

The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) decided that the session would last till June 21. The meeting chaired by the speaker declared that the house will have sittings on nine days.

On the first day, Speaker N. Manohar adjourned the house without any business after paying tributes to its sitting member Ambati Brahmanaiah of the TDP, who died in April this year.

Brahmanaiah, 75, represented Avanigadda constituency in Krishna district.

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, who moved a condolence motion, recalled the services of the late legislator.

TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu said Brahmanaiah played a key role as TDP's Krishna district president, member of the state assembly and MP.

Responding to TDP's demand for installing the late legislator's statue in Krishna district, excise minister K. Parthasarathy said the government would take necessary steps.

The TDP demanded that the session be extended for 10 days but the chief minister turned down the demand in view of the ensuing panchayat elections. Kiran Reddy also advised opposition to make better use of the available days.

The chief minister announced that a bill to give statutory status to 'Bangaru Talli' scheme launched for the welfare of girl child, would be tabled during the session.

The session will pass the appropriation bill for the financial year 2013-14. It will discuss reports of Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) regarding budgetary allocation to various sectors.

The DRSCs have been constituted for the first time in the state's legislative history. Twelve panels, which met during the recess, have submitted their reports to the speaker and the same will be tabled in the house.

Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy had presented a Rs.1.61 lakh crore budget March 18.