New Delhi: The Budget session of Parliament will commence from Thursday after the recess with the government bracing up to push a number of legislative proposals, including the three enabling Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bills to allow the rollout of the taxation reforms from July 1.
The three enabling GST bills – Central GST, Integrated GST, Compensation to states – are on the top of the agenda for the government during the second part of the Budget session of Parliament, which will conclude on April 12. Lok Sabha is likely to be adjourned on Thursday after obituary references for former members -- Rabi Ray, Jambuwant Dhote, P Shiv Shankar, and Syed Shahabuddin – who passed away in the recent past.
However, the Lok Sabha has listed the passage of the Maternity (amendment) Bill for passage on Thursday, besides introduction of the Admiralty (Jurisdiction and settlement of maritime claims), 2016 by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. The government is also keen for the passage of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to significantly hike the fines of various offences.
While the first half of the Budget session had ended on a bitter note after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s jibe of “raincoat” against his predecessor Manmohan Singh, the Congress is likely to step up attack against the government to force an apology.
With the verdict of the Assembly elections in five states – Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur – coming on March 11, both the Houses of the Parliament are likely to witness the impact of the poll outcome. If the BJP were to lose UP, Parliamentary observers claim that the Opposition would go the whole hog against the government, which may lead to ruckus in both the Houses.
Both the Houses of Parliament will also take up discussions for demands of grants of various ministries as part of the Budgetary exercise during which detailed debate would take place with ministers replying.
Union Minister for Home Affairs Rajnath Singh is likely to make statements in both the Houses of Parliament over the blast in a train in Madhya Pradesh and the operations against the alleged ISIS terrorist, who had been killed in Lucknow.
The government is also likely to push the Gratuity (amendment) Bill in the Parliament. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which is headed by the Congress MP KV Thomas is also likely to submit a report in the Parliament over the impact of the November 8 decision on demonetization.