Parliament’s Budget Session to start from January 31, Union Budget on February 1

The Budget Session of Parliament will start on January 31 and conclude on April 8, sources said on Friday. 

The session will commence with the address of the president to both the Houses, they stated, citing the recommendation of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, according to a PTI report. 

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The Union Budget for fiscal year 2022-23 will be presented on February 1 at 11am.

The first part of the session would conclude on February 11, while the second part would begin on March 14 and conclude on April 8, the sources added. 

The Budget Session will be conducted as the country grapples with increasing COVID-19 cases fuelled by the omicron variant of the coronavirus. 

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The month-long recess between the first and second parts would allow parliamentary committees to consider their demands, examine the allocations made to their ministries from the budget, and prepare their reports.

The COVID-19 protocol makes it mandatory for Members of Parliament to enter the complex only after they produce a negative test report as well as the vaccination certificate, PTI reported citing sources.

It is yet to be decided whether the two Houses should meet at the same time or in separate shifts, the sources added.

More than 400 Parliament staff members tested positive for the virus earlier this month, news agency ANI had first reported. 

Notably, several leaders and ministers have tested positive for the infection in the last few days, including BJP National President JP Nadda, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, among others. 

Meanwhile, India recorded 2,64,202 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the country’s total virus caseload to 3,65,82,129, which includes 5,753 cases of the omicron variant, data from the Union Health Ministry confirmed on Friday. 

The daily rise in COVID cases recorded on Friday was up by 16,785, or 6.7% compared to yesterday, with the country detecting another 265 cases of the omicron variant. 

(With inputs from PTI)