VIJAYAWADA: The Budget session of the Andhra Pradesh Legislature will commence on March 7. Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan will address a joint session of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly at 11 am on an opening day. Legislature Secretary P Balakrishnamacharyulu issued a notification to this effect on Wednesday.
On March 8, the two Houses will pay tribute to Mekapati Goutham Reddy, a serving minister who died of cardiac arrest last month. The Business Advisory Committee of the House will meet on March 7 and decide on the duration of the session, Legislature sources said. Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath is expected to present the Budget for 2022-23 financial year on March 11. In 2020 and 2021, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy regime promulgated Ordinances, without conducting the Legislature session, for passing the Finance Act, thereby enabling the government to spend money for six months.
Last year, it wrapped up all business, including the Governor’s address and passage of Budget, in a single-day session in May and subsequently conducted a seven-day session in November. This time, however, the government will be presenting the full budget in a proper format, now that Covid-19 is on the wane. The State Cabinet will meet on March 7 to finalise the Bills to be presented to the Legislature for enactment.