Shimla: After a month-long recess, the second phase of the Himachal Pradesh legislative assembly’s budget session will resume on Wednesday, with a total of 13 sittings scheduled till April 2.Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who also holds the finance portfolio, will present the budget for the financial year 2026-27 — the fourth of his govt — on March 21 at 11 am. The first phase of the budget session, held from Feb 16 to 18, consisted of three sittings. The opposition BJP is geared up to corner the state govt, claiming the non-fulfilment of promises made over the last three budgets and demanding accountability for unkept commitments.Himachal assembly speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania informed on Tuesday that discussions on the governor’s address would take place from March 18 to 20, with the CM’s reply slated for March 20. General discussions on the budget will be held from March 23 to 25, followed by deliberations and voting on demands for grants on March 27, 28, and 30. The Appropriation Bill will also be introduced and passed on March 30, said Pathania, adding that March 31 had been earmarked for private members’ business, while govt and legislative work would continue on April 1 and 2.So far, the legislative assembly secretariat has received a total of 834 questions — 665 starred and 169 unstarred — from legislators. These figures also include 125 questions carried over from the first phase. Additionally, MLAs submitted eight notices under Rule 62 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Legislative Assembly, three under Rule 101, and five under Rule 130, all of which have been forwarded to the govt for action.Key issues raised by legislators include welfare schemes such as the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi, education reforms, infrastructure development, tourism, healthcare upgrades, water supply, and concerns over rising drug abuse and crime.Meanwhile, meetings of the petitions and privileges committees were also held under the chairmanship of speaker Pathania on Tuesday. The petitions committee received a total of 108 representations related to various departments, out of which 60 cases have been already resolved. Replies are still awaited in 31 cases from different departments, while responses regarding 12 representations were received and will be presented before the committee in the next meeting. MSID:: 129631773 413 |
