The first Union Budget (2024-25) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha on July 23, with the Parliament session commencing a day earlier and scheduled to conclude on August 12.
“President of India, on the recommendation of Government of India, has approved the proposal for summoning of both the Houses of Parliament for the Budget Session, 2024, from July 22, 2024, to August 12, 2024, (subject to exigencies of Parliamentary Business). Union Budget 2024-25 will be presented in Lok Sabha on 23 July, 2024,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju posted on social media platform X on Saturday.
In her address to the joint sitting of the Parliament during the special session, President Droupadi Murmu had said that the coming Budget would be an impactful document of the government’s far-reaching policies and futuristic vision, and that several historic steps and major economic/social decisions would be taken. The pace of reforms would be accelerated in order to fulfil the aspirations of people, she said.
The Interim Budget for 2024-25 was presented in February, ahead of the recently concluded General Election.
Soon after Mr. Rijiju’s announcement, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O’Brien also took to X to say that it was the “government’s duty to run Parliament smoothly in upcoming Budget session”. He demanded that “they must: offer Deputy Speaker in Lok Sabha to INDIA candidate; allow one notice from Opposition weekly in each House to discuss issues of national importance (exam mess; unemployment); ensure no bulldozing of Bills”.
The special session of Parliament in June had witnessed vociferous protests by the Opposition in Parliament on a range of issues, from the Agnipath scheme and violence in Manipur to examination paper leaks. The Opposition also fielded its candidate for the 18th Lok Sabha Speaker’s position against Om Birla, who was elected for the second time.
While the Opposition sought to corner the newly formed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government on various charges, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies countered by terming them baseless. They targeted Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, alleging that he had made “extremely irresponsible” remarks and “unverified” claims in his speech during the Motion of Thanks. They also accused him of insulting the entire Hindu community by terming it violent and “asatyavadi (untruthful)”.
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