Union Cabinet to meet ahead of parliament session to approve Budget 2022-23

A meeting of the Union Cabinet will be held on Tuesday at 10

After getting the nod from the cabinet, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2022-23 in a paperless form for the second time on February 1. Earlier, the Union Budget of 2021-22 was delivered in paperless form last year for the first time.

The Budget Session of Parliament will commence today and is scheduled to conclude on April 8 wherein the first part of the session will extend up to February 11, said the Lok Sabha Secretariat on Sunday.

"There will be a break from February 12 to March 13 during which the Standing Committees will examine Demands-for-Grants of Ministries/Departments and prepare reports thereon. In all, there will be 29 sittings; ten in the first part and 19 in the second part," the Lok Sabha Secretariat's press release stated.

The President will be addressing both the Houses of Parliament assembled together on January 31 at 11 am.

"Half-an-hour after President's Address, the Lok Sabha will sit for the transaction of business," the release stated.

As per the Secretariat, the Economic Survey 2021-22 will be laid by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman in Lok Sabha on January 31, while the Budget will be presented by her on February 1 at 11 am.

From February 2 to February 11, the House is scheduled to sit from 4 pm to 9 pm. Thus, five hours have been scheduled per sitting during the first part of the Budget Session.

"During the first part of the session, the members will be accommodated in Lok Sabha Chamber and its Galleries (except Press Gallery) and Rajya Sabha Chamber and its Galleries (except Press Gallery)," the release informed.

As per the Secretariat, there will be two major items of business during the first part of the budget session; a discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address and a general discussion on the budget.

"The government has tentatively fixed four days for discussion on Motion of Thanks viz. February 2, 3, 4 and 7," they informed.

During the First Part of the Session after the presentation of the Budget (February 2-11), the release stated, 40 hours of normal time will be available for various Businesses such as Question, Private Members' Business, Discussion on Motion of Thanks, General Discussion on Union Budget, etc.

"Keeping in view the threat posed by COVID-19 pandemic, elaborate arrangements have been made in the Lok Sabha Chamber and other parts of Parliament House Complex," the release stated.

"To ensure the norms of social distancing, members will be allotted seats in Lok Sabha Chamber (282), Lok Sabha Galleries (except Press Gallery) (148), Rajya Sabha Chamber (60) and Rajya Sabha Gallery (51)," it added.

It was also informed that arrangements have been made for COVID vaccination and testing in the Complex for Members of Parliament and other visitors.