Union Budget 2021-2022 to be presented on February 1: Report
The Union Budget for the fiscal year 2021-22 will be presented on February 1, sources were quoted as saying by PTI on Tuesday. Reportedly, the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs recommended that the Budget session of the Parliament should start from January 29 and conclude on April 8. The Union Cabinet of Ministers will take the final call on the commencement of the session.
President to address both Houses of Parliament on January 29
According to the CCPA's recommendation, Part 1 of the Budget session would be held from January 29 to February 15 and Part 2 would be held from March 8 to April 8, sources told PTI. President Ram Nath Kovind would address both Houses of the Parliament on January 29, they said. All COVID-related protocols would be followed during the Budget session, they added.
Parliament's winter session was scrapped last month
Last month, the Centre had canceled the Parliament's winter session citing the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to the Congress party's Lok Sabha leader, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi had said that all political parties were in favor of scrapping the session. The letter had noted that it would be appropriate to have the Budget session in January.
Opposition had slammed government for scrapping winter session
At the time, the Opposition had criticized the move to scrap the winter session of the Parliament. The Congress party had claimed that it was not consulted in the decision to cancel the session and alleged that the Centre had done so to avoid being questioned over the ongoing farmers' protests. The protests, which focus on three new agricultural laws, had intensified in late-November.
How bad is the outbreak in India?
Meanwhile, the coronavirus outbreak has slowed down considerably after peaking in September. According to the Union Health Ministry, as of Tuesday morning, India reported 1,03,56,845 COVID-19 cases, including 1,49,850 deaths, 2,31,036 active cases, and 99,75,958 recoveries. 16,375 new cases and 201 fresh fatalities were reported over a 24-hour period. India remains the world's second worst-hit nation after the United States.
