The Budget Session of the Odisha legislative Assembly would begin fromFebruary 22 as per a decision taken at an all-party meeting held under chairmanship of Speaker Niranjan Pujari here on Monday.

Pujari said since the model code of conduct is in force for the ensuing panchayat elections, the session would begin from February 22 only after the polls.

He also said as per the new Parliamentary systems, the State Assembly Budget Session would have two phases. The first phase would begin from February 22 to March 4 and the second fromMarch 14 till April 7.

During the session, the full-fledged Budget would be presented, he added.

“We have adopted the practice that the Parliament has adopted to pass the Vote-on-Account prior to a full-fledged Budget,” the Speaker said.

However, he stated that no decision was taken on time limit of the session.

leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said the meeting unanimously decided to begin the session from February 22. “The Speaker will send the proposal for commencement of the session to the Governor for his approval soon,” he added.

Finance Minister Pradip Amat too said the meeting unanimously decided to begin the session after the panchayat elections. He said the meeting decided that the Appropriation Bill would be passed by March 31.

Amat said the State Government has placed its demands before the Union Finance Minister for more allocations for railway and other sectors. “We hope that the Centre will accept our demands,” he noted.