Budget Session 2022: Speaker & Vice-President Discuss Preparations For Covid-Safe Session

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday discussed preparations for the Budget session of Parliament amid surge in Covid cases.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla (L) with Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu (R) | File Photo/Getty Images

New Delhi: The Budget Session 2022 of Parliament begins today and considering the surge in Coronavirus cases, special guidelines have been laid to ensure a Covid-safe session. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday discussed preparations for the Budget session of Parliament amid the surge in Covid infections.

The session will commence today with the address of President Ram Nath Kovind to members of both the Houses.

During the meet, Birla suggested that members of both the Houses can be seated at different locations by name to avoid confusion, crowding and enquiries. Naidu accepted the suggestion, parliamentary sources said, according to a PTI report. 

Due to Covid norms, the two Houses are meeting at different times. Members of the two Houses will be accommodated in chambers of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as well as galleries to prevent crowding.

To implement the sitting arrangement by name, parties have been approached to draw up a list of members who would be accommodated in various locations. Seats were allotted in chambers and galleries of both the Houses based on the strength of parties.

Given the reduction in the time of sitting of both the Houses by one hour per sitting due to staggered timings, Naidu and Birla took stock of the time available for different items of business.

They underscored the need for cooperation from all sections of both the Houses for effective utilisation of available time.

While Rajya Sabha would meet from 10 am to 3 pm, the Lok Sabha would sit from 4 pm to 9 pm.

Officials informed the two presiding officers that the Parliament House complex has been sanitised and all possible measures are being taken to contain the spread of coronavirus.

They were told that all MPs have been requested to take RT-PCR test 48 before the commencement of the Session.

Part one of the session would end on February 11. The second part would begin on March 14 and conclude on April 8.

The President will address both members of both houses at 11 a.m. on Monday and half and hour afterwards, the Lok Sabha will sit and the 'Economic Survey 2021-22' will be laid by the Finance Minister on the table of the house.

The Budget will be presented by the Finance Minister on February 1.

From February 2 to February 11, the Lok Sabha is scheduled to sit from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Members will be accommodated in the Lok Sabha chamber and its galleries (except Press Gallery) and the Rajya Sabha chamber and its galleries (except Press Gallery).

During the first part of the session, the Discussion on Motion of Thanks on President's Address and General Discussion on Budget will be held and the government has tentatively fixed four days for Discussion on Motion of Thanks which will mean 40 hours for it and other business such as questions, Private Members' Business, and others.