Budget session of Assam Assembly to end today in view of coronavirus outbreak

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: In view of the situation arising out of the outbreak of coronavirus, the ongoing Budget session of the Assam Legislative Assembly (ALA) is in for an abrupt end on Tuesday with the passage of the Appropriation Bill (Budget) that was earlier scheduled to be passed on March 26.

Before the lockdown announcement made by the State government on Monday in view of the outbreak of coronavirus, the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of ALA got into a huddle and had a detailed discussion on the current situation. Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami chaired the meeting.

After a threadbare discussion, the BAC of the House came to the conclusion that it would be prudent to conclude the Budget session on Tuesday. However, any decision to conclude the Budget session on Tuesday would be reached only after taking the House into confidence.

Talking to The Sentinel after the BAC meeting, Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami said, “Three days were scheduled for the discussion of the Budget and the passage of the Appropriation Bill. However, taking the present situation into account, we’re going to pass the Appropriation Bill on Tuesday. The Government has already introduced two Bills. Those Bills will also be passed on Tuesday.”

According to sources, the Government is also going to introduce more Bills on Tuesday. However, their fate will be decided by the Assembly.

This is the second such curtailment of this Budget session. In the first curtailment, many businesses of the Assembly had to be slashed because of the situation arising out of the outbreak of coronavirus. The remaining period of the Budget session was reduced to only five days recently, but now it is facing an abrupt end on Tuesday.

While the Budget session started on March 2, 2020, the annual Budget was tabled on March 6, 2020.

Also Read: State Budget to be tabled today in Assam Assembly at 2 pm

Also Watch: Coronavirus update: Buddhist Monastery in Naharkatika take extra prevention measures