The Hindu Business Line : Budget session begins today

THE Budget session of Parliament, beginning Friday, will be dominated mainly by economic issues such as Rail Budget and the Union Budget for 2005-06 in the first few days and discussion on the motion of thanks on the President's address.

Addressing a press conference on the eve of the Budget session here, the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, said that "subject to exigencies of government business, the session would last up to May 13, 2005." He said during this period, the two Houses would adjourn for a recess for 24 days from March 25 to reassemble on April 18. The pre-Budget Economic Survey would be laid in Parliament after the Presidential address to the joint sitting of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

He said during the recess, the department-related Parliamentary standing committees would examine the demands for grants pertaining to various ministries/departments and make their report to the Houses. The session would provide a total of 39 sittings — 20 sittings during first part of the session before recess and 19 sittings during the second part.

The financial business of the House includes general discussion on the Rail budget 2005-06 and general discussion on the general Budget for 2005-06. He said the House will also take up three Ordinances namely the Patents (Amendment) Ordinance, 2004, promulgated on December 26, 2004, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Ordinance promulgated on December 29, 2004 and the Central Excise Laws (Amendment and Validation) Ordinance 2005 promulgated on December 25, 2004 and replace them through the Bills on these issues which would be introduced in the Budget session. These three Ordinances were promulgated during the current inter-session period, he added.

The Finance Bill, 2005 to give effect to Government proposals regarding taxes would also be taken up during the first part of the Budget session. Besides, the Seeds Bill, 2004 to provide for regulating the quality of the seeds for sale, export and import and to facilitate production and supply of quality seeds to the farmers, the Central Aquaculture Authority Bill, 2004 to provide for the establishment of a Coastal Aquaculture Authority for regulating the activities connected with coastal aquaculture and the Pearl Investment and Trading Private Limited and Domestic Gas Private Limited (Taking over the Management) Repeal Bill 2004 to repeal the Pearl Investment & Trading Private Limited and Domestic Gas Private Limited (Taking over of Management) Act, 1979 would also be taken up during the first part of the Budget session, he said.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page