Telangana Budget session from tomorrow

Hyderabad: All eyes will be on the Budget session of the Telangana Legislature which will be starting from Monday. The Assembly is meeting for the first time after the two elections, including the Dubbaka by-election and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections in which the ruling party TRS had faced mixed results.

The TRS had to lose the sitting seat of Dubbaka and could not repeat the previous times performance in the GHMC elections but remained the single largest party and also won the Corporation seat with the support of MIM. In the backdrop of this, the budget session is held and under strict Covid regulations. The session ended abruptly during the previous occasion when there was a surge in the Covid-19 cases in the State. Special sessions were held in the month of October to pass several Bills.

The authorities have asked the members, staff and media personnel to undergo Covid-19 test to attend the sessions.

The authorities would allow only those with a Covid negative report. The authorities had taken up Covid tests in the Assembly premises on Saturday. Among all, only a couple of persons were tested positive for Covid on Saturday. Restrictions would be imposed on the movement of members and media personnel in the Assembly premises in the wake of Covid. The members and staff have been asked to wear masks all the time in the premises.

The Budget session would start with the Governor's address to both the Houses on Monday. The Budget would be presented by Finance Minister T Harish Rao on March 18. The sessions are likely to be taken up for a fortnight as there will be discussions on demands after the discussion on motion of thanks to the Governor's address. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had hinted that this year also there will be a promising budget. He said that though the State had to suffer a loss of Rs 52,000 crore, the welfare activities would continue this year also.

The Finance Minister had meetings with several departments and the Chief Minister is slated to give final touches. Sources said that the discussion on budget demands would be conducted for a week and the Appropriation Bill would be approved in the House on the last day of the session. Sources said that the government would give the list of various development and welfare measures being implemented and also steps taken up during the Covid time. The Chief Minister is likely to talk on irrigation projects, power, Dharani and others.

The TRS is yet to have the Legislature Party meeting as the leaders were busy with the Council elections and the membership drive going on in the districts. BJP Dubbaka MLA M Raghunandan Rao said that their party would question even the Speaker if he does not provide time to the party. He said that he was ready to talk about the Central assistance to the State in Assembly.