J-K Govt to present annual budget in Srinagar

The session,sources said,is going to be over one month long affair as apart from presentation of annual budget,huge government business and bills will be presented in the House.

One more new aspect of the budget session this time is that it will be held in the newly constructed Assembly complex of the state in summer capital that was inaugurated last year in July by the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. On account of the political developments caused by agitation over Amarnath land dispute,the then government had to announce dissolution of the Assembly one day after the complex was inaugurated.

But the then government convened one day session in this complex on July 10 for a brief time to announce formal dissolution of the House,the only business conducted in the new complex.

However,full budget session will be held in July this year in place of the autumn session that would be held in Srinagar for a week or 15 days to fulfil the constitutional requirement of convening the session within six months of earlier convened session.

Since budget presentation has been a tradition normally in winter capital in February or March,during the long drawn session,there used to be very small business left for the autumn session in Srinagar.

It is now going to be reverse this time as the government will not only present proper budget but various ministries would seek grants for their departments that will be preceded by debate on the working of each department and a reply from the government before the grants would be approved.

Besides,the Assembly sources said the session business will include a good number of private members’ bills,private members’ resolutions,government business and some bills to be presented by the government itself.

It was in the backdrop of the constraints due to Model Code of Conduct for LS polls,the Finance minister AR Rather had to seek vote on account for the first five months of current fiscal year instead of presentation of proper budget in the assembly session held in February,in Jammu this year.

Rather sought vote on account of Rs 9,503 crore in the Lower House for the first five months of the fiscal year beginning April 1 for carrying on development works in the state.