Defense Minister Rajnath Singh with Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal and others during the all-party meeting ahead of the Budget Session of Parliament, in New Delhi. January 30, 2023. | Photo Credit: PTI
The government on January 30 said it was ready to discuss every issue under the rules during the budget session of Parliament and sought the support of the opposition for smooth running of the proceedings.
Briefing the media after an all-party meeting called by the government ahead of the budget session beginning on Tuesday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the government is ready to discuss every issue in Parliament as per the rules. “We seek the cooperation of the opposition” in running the House smoothly.
In the meeting, Sanjay Singh of Aam Aadmi Party, Manoj Jha of RJD, DMK, Left parties and others raised the Adani issue and demanded a discussion on it in Parliament during the session.
US-based short seller Hindenburg Research has accused Adani Group of wrongdoings like stock manipulation. The company has dismissed the allegations as “nothing but lies”.
The YSR Congress demanded a nationwide caste-based economic census at the meeting.
The party said that it is necessary to know the economic status of backward castes on social and development indicators.
YSR Congress leader Vijaysai Reddy said the backward castes constitute more than 50 per cent of the total population and the census would help ascertain their economic status.
The ruling party in Andhra Pradesh has joined the likes of the JD(U) and the RJD, both of which have demanded a caste census.
The grand alliance government in Bihar has launched a statewide caste survey.
Mr Reddy said his party also demanded passage of the Women’s Quota Bill to ensure reservation for them in Parliament.
Parties including TRS, TMC and BJD also supported the demand.
The budget session will begin on January 31 with President Draupadi Murmu’s address to the joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The session will have 27 sittings and run till April 6 with a break of one month for examination of the budget papers.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget on 1 February.
The first part of the budget session will end on February 14.
Parliament will resume on March 12 for the second part of the budget session.