No entry for UP legislators without Covid test in Budget Session

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh legislators who have not got their Covid test done, on or after February 14, will not be allowed entry in the Budget Session of the state Assembly, beginning on Thursday.

Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit said that the secretariat of the Vidhan Sabha had issued a circular making it mandatory for all MLAs and MLCs to undergo a corona test before the beginning of the Budget Session.

All district magistrates and chief medical officers (CMOs) had also been issued directions to make arrangements for the corona tests for legislators in their respective districts.

Tests have also been carried out on the Assembly staff to ensure that all precautions are taken during the pandemic.

The state government has also made special arrangements, in case, any legislator tests positive. Beds have been reserved at the SGPGI and KGMU for corona positive members. They will also have the choice to get themselves home quarantined under the supervision of doctors and specialists.

The Speaker said that this will be a hybrid session and legislators will have the option of attending it online or in person.

The Budget Session will begin from February 18 with the address of the Governor Anandiben Patel to the joint session of both the Houses.

For second consecutive time, media persons will not be allowed access to the press gallery. Two LED screens are being up in the Tilak Hall from where they can watch the proceedings.

Since the Budget will be paperless this time, printed copies of the Budget will not be available. All legislators will get the Budget on their iPads and the Budget literature will be available only through the finance department's app and the UP Assembly website.

Meanwhile, tight security arrangements have been made for the Budget Session.