Odisha budget session after panchayat polls

The budget session of Odisha Assembly is likely to begin from February 22 after the final phase of polling for the three-tier general panchayat elections on February 21.
This was decided at an all-party meeting convened by Speaker Niranjan Pujari.
Pujari said since the model code of conduct is in force for the panchayat elections, the budget session is most likely to begin from February 22.
He said as per the new parliamentary system, the budget session will have two phases.
The first phase will begin from February 22 and continue till March 4, and the second phase will commence from March 14 and continue till April 7.

During the session, the full-fledged budget will be presented in the assembly, he added.

Leader of the Opposition Narasingh Mishra of Congress said it was unainimously decided during the meeting to begin the budget session after polling for panchayat gets over on February 21.
"The speaker will send the proposal on the commencement of the assembly session to the governor for his approval," he added.
Echoing him, Finance Minister Pradip Amat said the house would seek the approval of the governor for the commencement of the assembly session.
The government in its pre-budget meeting has placed its demands before Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for more budget allocations for Railway and other sectors. "We hope that the Centre will accept our demands," Amat said.