All-party meeting ahead of Parliament's Budget Session to be held today

An all-party meeting, being convened by the Centre ahead of the Budget Session, will be held in the national capital today. The government is likely to seek cooperation from the Opposition for a smooth running of the Parliament.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi has convened the meeting which will be held at noon in Parliament Annexe Building. During the meeting, the Opposition parties are likely to raise issues concerning them that they intend to raise in the Parliament.

A meeting of NDA floor leaders will also be held on January 30 afternoon to strategise floor cooperation. The Budget Session, which is heavy with the government's financial agenda, will be held in two parts.

It will begin with President Droupadi Murmu's address to the joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament. Economic Survey will be tabled after the President's address. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget on February 1. The Union Budget 2023-24 may be the last full budget before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The first part of the session will be held from January 31 and will go on till February 13. It will see the debate in both Houses on the 'Motion of Thanks' to the President's address which will conclude with a reply of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Parliament will reconvene after a recess for parliamentary committees to discuss the demand for grants of various ministries. The second part will begin on March 13 and will continue till April 6.

The Money Bill is passed after a discussion on demand for grants and it marks the culmination of the budget process. During the Monsoon Session, nine bills were passed by both Houses of Parliament.