First Budget Session of new BJP govt commences on June 18

Kolkata, May 15 -- The Budget Session of the first BJP government in Bengal will commence on June 18, with the state budget likely to be presented in the Assembly on June 22. The session will begin with the Governor's address.

Rathindranath Bose, who was unanimously elected Speaker of the West Bengal Assembly during a special session on Friday, announced the schedule for the upcoming Budget session. As this will be the first budget of the newly formed BJP government in the state, attention is focused on how the ruling party frames its financial roadmap in line with its pre-election promises. The sectors where the government plans to allocate the highest amount of funds will become clear once the budget is tabled in the House. Earlier, the previous Trinamool Congress government had presented a vote-on-account budget in February ahead of the Assembly elections.

Meanwhile, the state secretariat at Nabanna has already directed all government departments to begin the necessary groundwork for the preparation of the budget. The financial blueprint is expected to be drafted in accordance with the priorities and schemes of the new government. Sources said the BJP government is aiming to maintain a balance between the state's expenditure and revenue generation. Emphasis is likely to be laid on increasing allocations for infrastructure development while simultaneously taking measures to reduce the debt

burden of the state.

Specific instructions have reportedly been issued to officials of the Finance department in this regard. All departments have also been asked to review and curb unnecessary expenditure. Senior government officials are examining the allocations made under the vote-on-account budget presented earlier by the previous TMC government. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari thanked both the treasury and Opposition benches after the unanimous election of the Assembly Speaker, describing it as a positive beginning for the new legislative term.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.