Union Budget 2022: Amid Pegasus spyware controversy, Parliament session starts today; 10 points

The Union Budget session of the parliament is all set to start off on Monday ahead of assembly elections in five states that are expected to be stormy with opposition parties ready with several hot button issues.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Economic Survey that details the state of the economy ahead of the government’s Budget for the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2022. 

Also read: What is Economic Survey and why it is tabled a day before Budget?

It projects an 8-8.5 percent growth rate for the Indian economy in 2022-23 fiscal year (April 2022 to March 2023).

Here are 10 things you need to know from this big story:

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed the importance of the budget and appealed to all parties to have spirited discussions with an open mind.

Also read: Union Budget 2022: Session begins with President Ram Nath Kovind’s address

2. The BJP-led government is likely to face attacks from several opposition parties on the issue of controversial Israeli spyware Pegasus following a recent report in the New York Times that claimed that the spyware and a missile system were the “centerpieces” of a roughly $ 2 billion dollar deal of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear between India and Israel.

3. Opposition parties, including Rahul Gandhi have slammed the government saying that the government “committed treason”.

Also read: Budget 2022: All about Union Budget mobile app

4. The opposition is likely to raise the issue of farm distress. Congress said it has reached out to like-minded parties to raise it in the parliament. 

5. Chinese incursion along the Line Of Actual Control (LAC), demand for a COVID relief package, and the sale of Air India are among other issues that the Opposition is likely to raise in the Parliament.

Also read: Budget 2022: Why has the halwa ceremony been dropped this year?

6. PTI reported that the government is unlikely to agree to a discussion on the Pegasus issue and will focus on getting its legislative business cleared.

7. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey 2021-22 on Monday and the Union Budget at 11 am on Tuesday.

Also read: Budget 2022: When & where to watch, what to expect

8. The first part of the Budget Session will be held from January 31 to February 11 after which it will go into a recess to examine the budgetary allocations for different departments.

9. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla said that parliamentarians will be seated in the central hall, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha according to COVID protocols.

Also read: Explained: Ahead of Assembly elections, will Union Budget 2022 be in favour of farmers?

10. There will be no Zero Hour and Question Hour in both Houses of Parliament during the first two days of the Budget Session.