The Budget session of Parliament begins on January 29 with the address of the President to both the houses amid Coronavirus-induced health protocols. The Union Budget will be presented in the Parliament on February 1.
The proceedings will begin with President Ram Nath Kovind's address at 11 am to the members of both the Houses spread in three different halls-Central Hall, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha, for the first time due to COVID-19 protocols. The Economic Survey 20-21 will be tabled after the address.
The last sitting of Parliament was the Monsoon Session, held in September was adjourned eight days before the scheduled end after many members of parliament contracted COVID-19. The winter session of Parliament could not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The Budget session is set to be stormy with the Congress and at least 17 Opposition parties boycotting the President's address in solidarity with farmers' protest against the three farm laws, which the opposition alleges, were passed arbitrarily in the Monsoon session.
The Opposition parties are set to corner the government on issues like recession, jobs, handling of Coronavirus crisis, India-China border row, and other issues, according to news agency PTI.
In the joint statement issued on January 28, the parties lashed out at the Prime Minister and the BJP-led Centre for being arrogant, adamant, and undemocratic in their response regarding the constitutional validity of the farm laws
The session has been divided into two phases as per Covid-19 protocols. The first part will begin on January 28 with the President's address and run till February 15. The second phase will run from March 8 to April 8.
Both houses will hold sittings on all working days alternately. The session will also have a Question Hour and Zero hour. From February 2, the Rajya Sabha will meet from 9 am to 2 pm and the Lok Sabha will sit from 3 pm to 9 pm.
Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu has taken a Coronavirus test ahead of the session, reports said. All members of parliament have also been requested to undergo an RT-PCR test before the beginning of the Budget session.
President Ram Nath Kovind will deliver his address in the Central Hall in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ministers, and other members. Many members from poll-bound states of West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu are unlikely to attend proceedings.
The government reached out to the Opposition and has called an all-party meeting on January 30 to be addressed virtually by the Prime Minister.
