Rajasthan Budget Likely in February Second Week, New Schemes Expected

The Budget Session of the Rajasthan Assembly will commence on January 28th. After obtaining permission from the Governor, the Notification for the Budget Session was released by the Assembly Secretariat on Monday late evening. All the MLAs have been notified. The Budget Session is likely to continue till March. The Budget Session will start with the Governor's address on January 28th, where the key achievements and future goals of the Government will be outlined. After the Governor's address on the first day, tributes will be paid to the departed leaders, and then the House will adjourn. The Business Advisory Committee meeting will then be held to decide on the Business agenda of the Session. The Governor's address will be discussed for three to four days. After that, the Government will respond. A week's recess is possible after the government's response.

The government is expected to present the budget in the second week of February, although a final decision on this is still pending. The budget is likely to announce several new schemes and programs.

During the budget session, the government is preparing to introduce a bill to remove the two-child requirement in Panchayat Raj and urban body elections. To this end, two separate bills amending the Panchayat Raj Act and the Municipal Act will be introduced in the House. Their drafts have been prepared. In addition, half a dozen other bills may also be introduced in the budget session.

The budget session of the Assembly is expected to be stormy. Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Julie said that the Congress Legislature Party is fully prepared to corner the government on every front. He said that this session will prove to be a report card of the government's two years of work. Tikaram Julie alleged that the government first makes big announcements in the budget and then cancels them citing feasibility issues. He said that this is the first time that the feasibility of the announcements is being examined after they are made, whereas this work should be done first. Accusing the government of fiscal mismanagement, he said that the FRBM limit is being exceeded and a large portion of the public's hard-earned money is being spent solely on interest payments. There is a competition between the central and state governments to borrow more.