Himachal Pradesh Assembly adjourned sine die after passing budget

Himachal Pradesh Assembly was adjourned sine die on Monday amid COVID-19 scare after passing the annual budget for financial year 2020-21.

As per the schedule announced earlier, the 68-member assembly resumed at 11 am after a recess from March 15 to 22. The budget session was supposed to continue till April 1.

However the remaining seven sittings have been suspended unanimously in view of coronavirus outbreak.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Bhardwaj moved the motion for suspension of remaining sittings of the assembly.

The leader of opposition Mukesh Agnihotri supported the motion, urging the minister to include the remaining seven sittings in the next assembly sessions.

The HP assembly budget session had begun on February 25. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, who also holds the finance portfolio, had presented a Rs 49,131-crore budget on March 6.

Discussion on the budget was also held from March 9-14, which ended with the chief minister's reply.

The state on Friday reported two cases of coronavirus in Kangra district.

A 32-year-old man from Harchakkian tehsil and a 64-year-old woman from Dohabe village in Shahpur subdivision have been found positive for coronavirus.

Besides, a number of persons have been kept under home quarantine.

Kangra district was already locked down indefinitely, whereas all educational institutions and religious places have been closed till March 31 and all trains, buses, taxis have been cancelled till further orders.