Government Convenes All-Party Meeting Ahead of Budget Session
The Indian government has called an all-party meeting on July 21st, 2023, in preparation for the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju will lead the meeting, which 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 the Opposition.
However, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has confirmed their absence from the meeting, citing July 21st as Martyrs' Day. This day commemorates the tragic deaths of 13 Congress supporters who were killed in a Kolkata Police firing incident in 1993. The incident occurred during a march to the state secretariat under the then-ruling Left Front government.
The session will begin with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presenting the Union Budget on July 22nd. She will also table the Economic Survey in Parliament on the same day.
The government plans to introduce six bills during the session, including one to replace the outdated Aircraft Act. Additionally, they will seek Parliament's approval for the budget of Jammu and Kashmir, which is currently under central rule.
Meanwhile, former Odisha Chief Minister and BJP leader Naveen Patnaik has instructed his party's MPs to advocate for the special category status for Odisha.