Coronavirus: Five-day budget session of Delhi Assembly curtailed to single day

The five-day Budget Session of the Delhi Assembly will now be held on a single day on March 23 in view of the coronavirus pandemic, a government official said on Saturday.

It will be the first time when in a single day the budget will be presented as well as passed.

According to the original schedule, the session was to be held from March 23-27.

"Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia will present the budget of Delhi government on March 23. On the same day, it will be passed," the official said.

He said on March 23 the government will also present in the Delhi Assembly the 'Economic Survey 2019-2020' of the city and the status report of 'Outcome Budget' (up to December 2019).

The 'Outcome Budget' assesses the performance of various departments of the Delhi government, including various programmes, schemes and projects run by the Aam Aadmi Party dispensation.

The number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 283 on Saturday, the Union Health Ministry said.

The contagion has claimed one life and infected over 20 people in Delhi.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that gatherings comprising more than five persons will not be allowed in order to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the national capital.

During his first-ever digital-only press conference, Kejriwal said those receiving ration from fair-price shops would get 50 per cent extra for next month.

The chief minister also doubled the pension for widows, the differently-abled and elderly for this month.