SHILLONG: The Budget session of the Meghalaya Assembly beginning on Friday has been truncated to eight working days instead of the 13-day schedule fixed earlier in view of the sudden announcement of Lok Sabha polls.
The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) on Thursday rescheduled the calendar and fixed March 19 as the last day of the session.
Meghalaya Governor Dr. K.K. Paul will address the House on Friday, the opening day of the Budget session.
Though the earlier plan was to pass the full Budget, only a vote- on- account for three months will be passed on the last day of the session. The Budget, however, will be presented during the session. Earlier, the session was scheduled till March 26, but the Business Advisory Committee felt it necessary to curtail the duration fearing that a 13-day session would restrict the mobility of members who want to campaign during the April 9 polls for Shillong and Tura Lok Sabha seats. Out of the eight days, the private members will get only three days while the remaining five days have been set aside for Government business.
There will be a re-assembled budget session in May after the Lok Sabha polls, according to BAC.
Though it is a short session, the Opposition is determined to expose the failures of the Congress-led MUA-II coalition Government on all fronts.
The worsening law and order situation in Garo Hills, the Education scam involving Cabinet Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, non- functioning of various Government departments and the need to have an effective mechanism to check influx, among others, will figure during the session.
