The budget session of the Telangana Legislature is set to start from Friday.
After a gap of one year, the budget session is starting with the address of Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan to the joint sitting of the legislature — the Legislative Assembly and Council — after the stalemate between the Raj Bhavan and Pragati Bhavan, the Chief Minister’s office has been resolved through mutual negotiations. The Governor’s address is expected to be followed by the discussion on Motion of Thanks to her address after which Finance Minister T. Harish Rao is likely to present the annual financial statement for 2023-24 on February 6.
The State government made elaborate security arrangements in and around the legislature premises in view of the budget session. Over 1,500 security personnel had been deployed on the premises for the purpose. Legislative Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and Council Chairman Gutha Sukender Reddy held a meeting with senior officials, including the police officials, to review the arrangements ahead of the session.
Mr. Srinivas Reddy directed the officials concerned to see that the dignity of the House as well as the manner in which the proceedings were being conducted continued during this session too. The House would allow elaborate discussions on every issue raised by the members and the officials concerned should see that information relating to the subjects raised by the members reached them at the earliest.
He wanted the departments concerned to nominate a nodal officer to ensure information requisitioned by the members is furnished. Officials should also be available throughout the session and they should provide necessary information to the legislative committees constituted on various issues besides taking steps to see that answers to the pending questions raised by the members in the previous sessions were sent to them at the earliest.
Security should be beefed up on the legislature premises to ensure that there was no scope for entry of unauthorised persons or anti-social elements. Mr. Sukender Reddy stressed the need for a peaceful atmosphere on the legislature precincts as it would be helpful in the peaceful conduct of the proceedings. He wanted only authorised persons carrying valid passes be allowed inside the legislature.
