The previous NDA government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee had ended a British era practice, by changing the timing of presentation of the Union Budget from 5 pm to 11am in 2001. Sixteen years later, another NDA government under Narendra Modi is following the suit, by proposing a short 10-day budget session of Parliament from January 31. As per the practice inherited from the Colonial Era, the annual Budget was presented each year on the last working day of February by the Finance Minister in Parliament.
The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) headed by home minister Rajnath Singh which met here on Tuesday recommended the dates to President Pranab Mukherjee. Only the first part of part session from January 31 to February 10 has been proposed. The second half of session will be decided only after the dates for the Assembly elections in five states, including the most crucial Uttar Pradesh are announced by the Election Commission. A top government source said even the second half of the session may also be short.
The first half will have only eight sittings, including the first day limited to the President’s address to the joint sitting of the two Houses. The session has been advanced to pass the budget ahead of the new financial year of 2017-18 that begins on April 1 instead of the practice so far to pass an appropriation Bill for the first four months.
