Budget Session 2023: Parliament To Skip Zero Hour, Question Hour on First Two Days

The Parliament will skip Zero and Question Hour during the first two days of the Budget Session that begins on Tuesday with President Droupadi Murmu address in the Central Hall.

New Delhi: The Parliament will skip Zero and Question Hour during the first two days of the Budget Session that begins on Tuesday at 11 am. President Droupadi Murmu will address both houses in a joint session in the Central Hall on January 31. On the second day of the Session i.e. February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the last Union Budget of the Narendra Modi-led 2.0 government in Lok Sabha. The Budget will be tabled later in Rajya Sabha.

"Members of Parliament are informed that owing to the address of the President to both Houses assembled together on January 31 and the presentation of the Union Budget on February 1, there will be no 'Zero Hour' on both days," news agency ANI reported citing a bulletin.

The bulletin also informed members that issues of 'urgent public importance' raised during Zero Hour will be taken up from February 2.

“From February 2, both Houses will have a discussion on the "Motion of Thanks to the President Address" after which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reply in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, it added.

This part of the Budget Session will continue to function till February 13. The second part of the Budget Session will resume after a recess on March 13 before ending on April 6.  This part of the Parliament session will focus on the Demand for Grants for various ministries and the passing of the Union Budget. Other legislative businesses will also be taken up by the government during this period.

Expectations are high from the last full Budget of the Modi government as the rising cost of living and worsening job market have impacted much of the middle class.

Recently, the Finance Minister said that she understands the pressures of the middle class as she too belongs to the same strata.  

It is anticipated that FM Sitharaman could reduce income tax rates and offer updated slabs, according to news agency Reuters. With the exception of the recent implementation of a concessional income tax scheme, the tax slabs have not changed since the Budget 2016–17.