Budget session of UP Legislature begins, Opposition boycotts Governor’s address

Lucknow, 18 February (HS) :     The budget session of Uttar Pradesh Legislature began here on Thursday with Governor Anandiben Patel’s address to a joint sitting of both the houses. The session will continue till March 10. The Opposition, howevever walked out the house during the during the Governor’s speech on the first day.

The Governor in her address praised the policies and welfare steps of the Yogi Government. She said that the state government did commendable job during CORONA crisis. It not only controlled the spread of the virus but also brought back the migrants stranded in other states of the country amid the pandemic. She also praised the zero tolerance policy of the Yogi Government against the crime and criminals.

 While the Governor was addressing the joint sitting of both the houses on the first day of the budget session, the MLAs and MLCs of opposition parties including Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress raised slogans against the government policies and boycotted the Governor’s address.

Since the governor reached the house seven minutes late the Leader Opposition Ramgovind Chaudhary alleged that she did not want to address the house as she is not satisfied with the working of the state government. He said that the state is facing ‘jungle raj’ in the present government and demanded resignation of CM Yogi Adityanath and his cabinet.

Congress Legislature Party Leader Aradhana Misra and BSP leader Lalji Verma also attacked the policies of the government. On the other hand the  Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna criticised the opposition. He said that the behaviour of the opposition during the governor’s address was irresponsible.

The budget session of the UP Legilature which began with Governor Anandiben Patel’s address to a joint sitting of both the houses today will continue till March 10. As per the tentave agenda approved by the Assembly Speaker Hridaya Narayan Dixit the Yogi Government will present its budget for financial year of 2021-22 in both the houses on February 22.

The UP Government for the first time will table paperless budget. The Government has made all the preparations in this regard. The Finance Minister will read out the budget in the house from a tablet. The MLAs have also been given tablets for the same.

Besides, in the backdrop of the CORONA virus pandemic COVID-19 test was made mandatory for all the MLAs, MLCs and other staff including security personnel.

The Yogi government had passed its fourth budget on February 18 last year. This year’s budget is the fifth and last budget of the Yogi government. The Assembly poll of UP is scheduled to be held next year. Therefore it is expected that the BJP government led by CM Yogi Adityanth will try its best to make every section of the society happy through this budget.