Monsoon session begins: PM Modi's address, economic survey; what to expect

The Monsoon session of the Parliament began on Monday with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presenting the Economic Survey, addressing the details of India’s financial performance in FY24 and the outlook for FY25.

The 22-day long Monsoon session is anticipated to have 16 sittings and tentatively conclude on August 12, with a focus on financial businesses related to the Budget. 

Ahead of the session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation, hailing the upcoming Budget as a stepping stone for the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision – the idea to establish India from a developing country to a developed nation by 2047, coinciding with its 100 years of independence.

 

Referring to the session disruptions caused by the INDIA bloc parties earlier, Modi urged the Opposition to honour the sanctity of the House. He said the Parliament is not a ‘dal’ (party) but for ‘desh’ (country) and slammed the Opposition for trying to ‘scuttle’ his voice last time.

After the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha in June, a Parliamentary session was convened during which the Opposition protested on issues such as the NEET-UG 2024 examination controversy. The INDIA bloc MPs had also staged a walk out from the Rajya Sabha on June 27, when Modi was replying to the debate on a motion in Rajya Sabha thanking President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint sitting of the Parliament.

What events will take place during the Monsoon session of Parliament?

1) On Monday, July 22, Sitharaman joined by Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary and others will present the Economic Survey 2023-24 along with a statistical appendix. This document will be presented in the Lok Sabha at 1 pm and in Rajya Sabha at 2 pm.

2) Union Minister Manohar Lal will propose the motion for the election of members to the Rajghat Samadhi Committee (RSC).

3) Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Prasad Sinha, a Trinamool Congress MP representing the Asansol Parliamentary Constituency in West Bengal, will be sworn in, sign the Roll of Members, and assume his seat in the House.

4) Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will move a motion for a two-member election related to the central building and other construction workers’ advisory Lok Sabha panel.

5) The Union Budget will be presented by Sitharaman on Tuesday, July 23. Additionally, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir’s Budget for 2024 will also be presented.

(With inputs from agencies)