Budget session of Andhra Pradesh Assembly likely from June 26

The YSRC government is planning to hold the budget session this month itself so as to make allocations to Navaratnas and other election promises. 
Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy addresses the assembly.
Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy addresses the assembly.

VIJAYAWADA: The budget session of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly is likely to commence on June 26 and it is expected to be for 20 working days. As the vote-on-account budget passed by the previous TDP regime was meant for the first four months of the current fiscal, the new government will have to present the budget for the remaining eight months by the end of July.

Hence, the YSRC government is said to be contemplating holding the budget session this month itself so as to make allocations to Navaratnas and other election promises of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Once the ongoing Assembly session is over, the government will start the budget exercise after getting development proposals from each department, sources said.

In all likelihood, priority sectors like social welfare, medical and health, education and others will get major allocations in the budget. Adequate allocations are expected to be made for the implementation of the decisions taken by the Chief Minister in the first Cabinet meeting.

The first day of the first session of the AP Legislative Assembly after the formation of the new government commenced at 11.05 am on Wednesday.

After Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy took the oath first, Leader of Opposition and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu was administered the oath by Pro tem Speaker Sambangi Venkata China Appala Naidu. 

The Pro tem Speaker was administered the oath by Governor ESL Narasimhan on June 8. Later, ministers were administered the oath in alphabetical order followed by YSRC, TDP members. 
The lone Jana Sena MLA also took oath. As Jagan stood to take the oath, the Assembly reverberated with thumping of treasury benches by YSRC members. 

After taking the oath, Jagan went to the podium of Speaker, exchanged greetings with the Pro tem Speaker and returned to his seat with folded hands giving amiss to the customary shake hand with Opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu. All the MLAs, except one took the oath. Narasaraopet YSRC MLA Gopireddy Srinivasa Reddy did not attend the Assembly as he lost his mother recently.  

After taking the oath, majority of the YSRC members went to the seat of the Chief Minister to convey their gratitude. Some MLAs fumbled in pronunciation of some words while taking the oath. Nellore Rural MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy had to take the oath twice.

He took the oath first time in the name of God and also Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Officials of AP Legislative Assembly informed the Pro tem Speaker that the oath taken by the MLA stands invalid and he was asked totake the oath for another time.

When the Assembly officials invited Jana Sena MLA Rapaka Varaprasad (Razole) for taking the oath, YSRC MLA V Vara Prasad Rao (Gudur) went to the oath taking spot assuming that he was called. After getting clarification, the YSRC MLA gave way to Jana Sena legislator.

On the first day, the Assembly lobbies witnessed hectic activity with the ruling party members, in all smiles, meeting and greeting one another. The Opposition TDP members, however, were not seen after they took oath. Naidu also left the Assembly after lunch.

Hindupur TDP MLA and actor Nandamuri Balakrishna was seen chatting with ruling party MLAs in the lobbies. Being the first session of the new government, Assembly lobbies were jampacked with the family members of MLAs and visitors.

Speaker’s election to be unanimous

Senior leader Tammineni Sitaram is all set to be elected Speaker of the AP Legislative Assembly unanimously on Thursday as no other nomination was filed for the post. Pro tem Speaker  Appala Naidu issued notification for the election of Speaker and announced that nominations could be filed till 5 pm on Wednesday.

Sitaram, accompanied by YSRC leaders, submitted his nomination papers to the Secretary of Legislative Assembly. The formal declaration of the election of Sitaram as Speaker will be made on Thursday and he will occupy the chair at 11 am.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com