Budget 2024: Parliamentary session to commence today with President Murmu's address

New Parliament Building/ PTI

The Budget Session of the Indian Parliament will begin today, with President Droupadi Murmu delivering a joint address to both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha at 11 am. The session, the final before the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in April-May, is expected to feature eight sittings spread over ten days.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to introduce the interim budget on Thursday (February 1). The proceedings of both Houses will begin half an hour after the President's address, with the Secretary Generals placing copies of the address on their respective tables, per an ANI report.

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According to the report, in both Houses, obituaries will be read for former MPs Bhadreshwar Tanti, Sonawane Pratap Narayanrao, Hari Shankar Bhabhra, and Shrimati Sushree Devi. Additionally, Lok Sabha MP TR Baalu and Rajya Sabha MPs Anil Jain and GK Vasan are scheduled to give reports on the Committee of Privileges.

On Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting of political party floor leaders to prepare for the Interim Budget Session. Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, stated that the session may end on February 9 and said that the session will be devoted to financial business concerning the Interim Budget, a discussion of the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address, and important legislative issues, the report added.

According to the report, the budget session will also include Supplementary Demands for Grants for the Year 2023-24, the Interim Budget of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for 2024-25, and the Supplementary Demands for Grants of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the Fiscal Year 2023-24, said union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Prahlad Joshi.

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He, during the meeting, also stated that the Government is "always ready" to discuss on the floor of the House issues permissible under the Rules of Procedure by respective Presiding officers. Per the ANI report, Joshi also appealed to all party leaders to proactively support and cooperate to ensure the two Houses of Parliament function smoothly during the budget session.

Rajnath Singh, Union Minister for Defence, thanked all party leaders for their active collaboration and support in ensuring that both Houses functioned well. The meeting was attended by 45 leaders from 30 different political parties, the report added.