West Bengal Assembly budget session to start from February 19

Kolkata: The Budget Session of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly will begin on February 19 with Governor K N Tripahi addressing the House, while the state budget will be tabled on February 27.

Announcing this in Kolkata on Monday, Speaker Biman Banerjee said the session would continue for at least 11 days during which, some bills could be moved for discussion and passing.

"The West Bengal Backward Class Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2015 has already been submitted before me and it would be moved in the House during the session for discussion and passing," Banerjee said.

After an all-party meeting ahead of the session, attended by all legislature party leaders of the House, the Speaker said, "Responding to my appeal to all political parties, they have assured me their cooperation to continue the session peacefully."

"Since Leader of Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra is out of the city, he was represented by senior party leader Anisur Rahaman," Banerjee said.

On February 20, an obituary reference would be made in the House as mark of respect to some eminent persons and former members of the House, who had passed away recently. The House has earmarked four days, from February 23 to 26, exclusively for discussion on the Governor's address, which would be followed by presentation of the state budget on February 27 by Finance Minister Amit Mitra.

The Speaker said there was no compulsion that the state budget has to be presented only after the Union Budget. Some other states too would have their budgets passed ahead of the Union Budget, Banerjee said, adding, additional allocation, if any in the Union Budget, could be accommodated in supplementary bills.