The Budget Session of Punjab Assembly would begin on Tuesday and is likely to be a stormy affair with the Opposition Congress set to put Parkash Singh Badal administration on the mat on several key issues, including agrarian crisis, alleged lawlessness, reservation for Jats even as the ruling alliance is geared up to highlight its development initiatives.
SAD patron and leader of House, Parkash Singh Badal had summoned a joint meeting of SAD-BJP legilsature parties on Tuesday morning to discuss threadbare the issues and prepare the strategy to face the onsalught of Congress.
Akalis and BJP members are all set to present the work done in different departments on the development front, a party spokesman said.
The Budget session will commence here tomorrow with the address of Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki.
The discussions on Governor’s address will take place for two days on March 11 and 14. The budget will be presented on March 15, an official spokesman said.
The discussion on Budget will take place on March 16 and 18. The session will conclude on March 22.
With Assembly elections due early next year, this Budget will be the current Government’s last.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said the Punjab Government will announce major pro-people decisions in the Budget.
He also said this year would observed as development year and `25 crore would be released for each constituency for inclusive development.
Punjab Government has fulfilled 95 per cent of its promises made during in manifesto in 2012 and remaining would be fulfilled in the months to come.
He said more than `20,000 crore would be spent connecting all major cities with 4-6 lanes across the State.
He stressed that Punjab was the only State which was giving free power at a cost of up to `5,500 crore annually to farmers.
Talking about people-friendly and pro-poor schemes, he said the Shagun scheme, Atta Dal, free power to SC families, old age pensions are key decisions of the Government.
He also informed that recruitment process for more than 1 lakh jobs is under process and all these vacancies would be filled in the next 6 months.
The Deputy CM also said that the Punjab Government has decided to release grants to Mahila Mandals and youth clubs to empower the women and youth in the rural areas.