The Budget Session of the Assam assembly will commence from February 6, 2018, the State Government announced on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Legislative Assembly Principal Secretary Mrigendra Kumar Deka informed there will be no Winter Session of the House this year as there is ‘no time left’.
He added as per rule, there should not be a gap of more than six months between any two sittings of the House.
“The time gap between the forthcoming Budget Session and the last Monsoon Session will be less than six months. So, there is no issue regarding the procedure,” Deka said.
“The Governor of Assam, Jagdish Mukhi, has summoned the Budget Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly to meet at 9:30 am on Tuesday, February 6, 2018 at the Assembly Chamber in Dispur,” an official release stated.
Meanwhile, opposition Congress has criticized the State Government for not calling the Winter Session, accusing the ruling BJP-led coalition of escaping from pertinent discussion on issues relating to the common people.
The Budget Session next year will be a historic first as the Assam Legislative Assembly is all set to go paperless and present a digital budget through e-mode.
The Finance department has already communicated with the Assembly Secretariat in this regard.
In a letter to the Legislative Assembly Principal Secretary Mrigendra Kumar Deka recently, Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance department has urged for amendment in relevant rules and conduct of business in the Assembly to ‘facilitate laying of e-Budget on the table of the House’.
As part of the plan, each legislator will be provided a tablet that will have the e-budget. Budget generally has two components – Finance Minister’s speech and detail department-wise break-up of allocation.
Both the components will be loaded onto the tablets.
Further, since all MLAs may not be well acquainted in using a tablet, an orientation programme will be held to familiarize them with its usage prior to the Budget session, which is likely to be scheduled in January-end, sources said.
During discussion and cut motion on the Budget, the legislators will be able to access the tablets inside the House.