New Delhi: The crucial Budget session of Parliament gets underway with the customary address from the President Ram Nath Kovind, on Thursday.
At least 12 hours allocated for debate on Motion of Thanks to President's Address and about eight hours for general discussion on the Budget has been demanded by Biju Janata Dal from Odisha.
It was BJD Parliamentary party leader Bhatruhari Mahtab who put forward the demand for such time distribution at the all party meeting convened by the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Wednesday. However, the final decision about time allocation for the debates will have to be decided by the Business Advisory Committee, informed the sources. Mr Mahtab had also requested the Speaker to ensure that his previous notice on a general discussion under Rule 193 on Natural Calamities should be taken up during the Session which would end on February 13.
As most of the regional parties suggested that they would raise their respective issues, the all-party meeting failed to arrive at a consensus for smooth transaction of business. At the meeting, AIADMK leader P Venugopal said his party will raise the issue of Cauvery basin, a matter flagged off by his party colleagues in both Houses during the Winter Session of Parliament. Similarly, TDP leader Narasimham Thota said that demands related to the Special Category status for Andhra Pradesh will be also raised. Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay threatened to raise the bogey of EVM fault line.
The real anti-climax episode, though for a brief discussion, came when Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel said, "There is nothing called interim Budget or Vote on Account". He also told Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, "Madam, if we oppose, then you should not get angry".