CCPA recommends Parliament's Budget session from Jan 29

The Budget session of Parliament will be held in two parts from January 29 to April 8 with all COVID-related protocols including the shift system likely to be followed. According to the recommendations of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA), Part 1 of the Budget session would be held from January 29 to February 15, and Part 2 from March 8 to April 8.

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) has recommended that the Budget session of Parliament be held in two parts from January 29 to April 8, and all COVID-related protocols including the shift system are likely to be followed as was done during the Monsoon session.

According to the Committee's recommendation, Part 1 of the Budget session would be held from January 29 to February 15, and Part 2 from March 8 to April 8.

President Ram Nath Kovind would address the joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament on January 29, a Friday, and the Union Budget would be presented on February 1, sources said citing the CCPA recommendations.

The Economic Survey would be tabled in the Lok Sabha on February 29 after the President's address, the sources said.

All COVID-related protocols would be followed during the session. Like the Monsoon session, the upcoming Budget session is also likely to be held in two shifts -- morning and evening -- with each House sitting in one shift using both the chambers.

Each House is likely to sit for 5 hours on a working day during the Budget session, according to sources. The Lok Sabha is likely to sit in the evenings (3 pm to 8 pm) and the Rajya Sabha in the mornings (9 am to 2 pm).

However, for the presidential address and on budget day, the Lok Sabha is likely to be held during the first part of the session and on other days it will be the Rajya Sabha first.

The standard operating procedures related to the coronavirus pandemic such as compulsorily wearing masks and maintaining social distancing will be followed during the session and all expected attendees including MPs and staff of the secretariats of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are likely to undergo RT-PCR tests for COVID-19.

Sanitisation of cars and other vehicles entering the parliament complex, files and other equipments will also be done.

The final decision on the commencement of the Budget session will be taken by the Union Cabinet of Ministers.

PTI