Parliament's Budget session to start from Monday - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

With the opposition looking set to attack the Government on a number of issues including price rise, the first day of Parliament's Budget session on Monday is expected to be a stormy affair. The session will begin with the customary President Pratibha Patil's address to the joint sitting of both the Houses on Monday. The BJP, the Left and other parties have demanded that a discussion on the burning problem of rising prices be taken up on the first working day of the three-month long session on Tuesday. The BJP and the Left parties have indicated disruption of proceedings in case the issue of price rise was not taken up for discussion on February 23. Opposition Leader Sushma Swaraj has said if the government agreed to a debate on the issue on the first working day, there will be no disruption. Meanwhile, CPI's Gurudas Dasgupta has said the Left would move an adjournment motion if this demand was not heeded to. Mulayam Singh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party has threatened to bring a cut motion on government's demands for grants on the issue of urea price hike. Key UPA allies like Trinamool Congress and DMK may support his move. Unfazed by the opposition aggression, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said the government was prepared for discussion on all issues. The General Budget will be presented on 26th February, the Economic Survey on 25th February and the Railway Budget on 24th February. The session would conclude on 7th May. In order to enable the Standing Committees consider demands for grants of various ministries, the Houses will adjourn for a recess from 16th March to 12th April.