Tamil Nadu budget on Feb 8

Tamil Nadu's budget would be presented on February 8 by Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, who holds the Finance portfolio.

The budget for 2019-20 would be tabled in the House at 10 am that day, an official release here said.

With the Union budget bringing relief to the middle classes by pushing up the income tax threshold to Rs five lakh, it is expected that the State too may have some surprise in store in its annual financial statement ahead of the Lok Sabha election.

The first session of the Assembly for the year began on January 2 with the customary address of Governor Banwarilal Purohit to the House. The Opposition parties had boycotted his address.

A gift hamper to every family (including Rs 1,000 cash component) with a ration card for the harvest festival of Pongal (in January) was among the announcements he had made.

On January 8, the House was adjourned sine die after the passage of several Bills including ones that extended the term of office of special officers of urban and rural civic bodies by another six months.