Budget 2022: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to chair all-party meeting today

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will chair an all-party meeting on Sunday as Parliament readies for the Budget Session from a day later.

The customary meeting will see the attendance of floor leaders of all political parties and the discussions will focus on the smooth functioning of Parliament.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at 3pm and leaders of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will be present for the same. At 5pm, Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu will conduct a virtual meeting of the House leaders.

On Friday, Birla had reviewed the preparations on the Parliament premises ahead of the Budget session.

Meanwhile, the Union ministry of finance began the final stage of this year’s Budget on Thursday by distributing sweets instead of the customary ‘halwa’ following guidelines on Covid-appropriate behaviour.

“To mark the final stage of the Union Budget making process, sweets were provided to the core staff due to undergo ‘lock-in’ at their workplaces, instead of a customary halwa ceremony every year in view of the prevailing pandemic situation and the need to observe health safety protocols,” the finance ministry said in a statement.

The Budget Press, located inside the North Block of Parliament, houses all officials during the entire period till the Union Budget is presented.

This year’s Budget will remain paperless as was introduced last year. The Union Budget 2022-2023 will also be available on the ‘Union Budget Mobile App’ following the completion of the same on February 1 in Parliament, according to a ministry statement.

The Budget session will begin on January 31 at 11am with President Ram Nath Kovind addressing both Houses in a joint session after which the economic survey will be tabled. Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the paperless Budget 2022-2022 at 11am on February 1.