The Budget session of the Telangana Legislative Assembly and Council will begin on March 15 this year, just a day after the conclusion of the
upcoming MLC elections in the graduates' constituencies of Warangal-Nalgonda-Khammam and Hyderabad-Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy. The proceedings will be flagged off with Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan's joint address to both the houses, which will reportedly begin at 11:00 am.
The state government has already released the notifications summoning the members of both houses for the same.
Since the session will commence in just two days, Telangana Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy recently held a review meeting with the concerned officials to discuss the steps to be taken to ensure the smooth conduct of the deliberations amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Further, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao instructed the officials to make the seating arrangements in the two houses in keeping with social distancing protocols.
Following this, Assembly Secretary V Narasimha Charyulu oversaw all the necessary preparations to implement the relevant safety guidelines. The members of both houses, other government officials, and persons from newspapers and news channels were asked to mandatorily undergo Covid-19 tests before attending the Budget session. They will also be required to wear masks, sanitise their hands regularly, and adhere to social distancing norms during the upcoming fiscal deliberations.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that this year's Budget session is likely to last for about seven to ten days. On March 16, the Assembly will condole any recent deaths of its members and former legislators, and on March 17, thanks will be offered to the Governor for her speech.
On March 18, Finance Minister T Harish Rao will unveil the budget for the fiscal year 2021-22 to the Assembly, at 11:30 am. Health Minister Etala Rajender will do so in the Legislative Council. If Rajender is unable to do so, Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy will make the presentation in his stead.
This year, the CM has reportedly asked the concerned officials to prioritise the improvement of existing welfare schemes and irrigation projects in the budget. Apart from that, need-based allocations will also be considered for several departments.
The state's monetary decisions for the coming fiscal year assume special significance this time as it is still reeling from the devastation that the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked on its economy.