The Budget session of the Tamil Nadu Assembly will start at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai on August 13. It is expected to be stormy in the wake of the action by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption and the Enforcement Directorate against leaders of the main Opposition AIADMK and the ruling DMK.
Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan will present the revised Budget for 2021-22, which will be paperless, a first in the history of the Assembly. Computers have been installed for presenting the e-budget.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin visited Kalaivanar Arangam on August 12 to oversee the arrangements made for the session, which will conclude on September 21. Minister for Water Resources Duraimurugan, Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudi, PWD Minister E.V. Velu and IT Minister T. Mano Thangaraj accompanied him.
Despite the White Paper concluding that the State’s finances were “in dire circumstances”, expectations are high since the DMK’s election manifesto had promised welfare schemes for several segments of the population.
As per the agenda, finalised by the Business Advisory Committee, the government will present the revised Budget for 2021-22 on August 13. The following day, a budget for agriculture will be presented. On August 16, obituary references will be made and condolence resolutions adopted for the passing of former members and public personalities.
The debate on the revised Budget and the agriculture budget will start that day. The replies will be made on August 19.
From August 23, the debate on the demands for grants for departments will begin. Bills will be taken up and will likely be passed on the last day of the session.
