Government Convenes All-Party Meeting Ahead of Budget Session
The Indian government has called an all-party meeting on July 21st, ahead of the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament. This meeting, led by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, aims to understand the issues various political parties wish to raise during the session.
The Monsoon Session will commence on July 22nd and continue until August 12th, with a total of 19 sittings scheduled. This session holds particular significance as it marks the anticipated return of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in his role as Leader of Opposition.
However, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has announced their absence from the meeting, citing July 21st as Martyrs' Day. This day commemorates the tragic deaths of 13 Congress supporters killed in a 1993 Kolkata Police firing incident during a march to the state secretariat under the Left Front government.
The session's opening day will see Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman present the Union Budget, followed by the tabling of the Economic Survey. The government also plans to introduce six bills, including one to replace the outdated Aircraft Act, and seek parliamentary approval for the budget of Jammu and Kashmir, currently under central rule.
Meanwhile, former Odisha Chief Minister and BJP leader Naveen Patnaik has instructed his party's MPs to advocate for special category status for Odisha during the session.