SHILLONG, Feb 15: The budget session of the Meghalaya Assembly will be held from March 4 to 17.
The session will have 10 working days with seven days for government business and three days for private members’ business, Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh told reporters after the Business Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prestone Tynsong, Opposition leader Mukul M Sangma and MLAs Ampareen Lyngdoh and Balajied Kupar Synrem.
State Governor Satya Pal Malik will deliver his address to the House on the first day of the session on March 4.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who also holds the Finance portfolio, will present the budget estimates of the state for the 2021-2022 fiscal on March 9 after replying to the debate on the Governor’s address.
The Opposition All India Trinamool Congress will huddle up for a party meet ahead of the budget session to arm itself with pressing issues and concerns and raise them in the Assembly.
“The 12 AITC legislators will look at the burning issues and table those concerns before the August house for consideration,” AITC state leader, Mukul Sangma said after the Business Advisory Committee meeting.
“Beside the budget presentation there will be issues confronting the state and we will take them up during the space made available for private members’ and also under the different provisions of the rules of procedures and conduct of business in the Assembly.”
“Some more space will be available for the members of the House, particularly the opposition bench, and we will look at how to utilise them time optimally,” he added.
While Sangma did not list out the issues that the Opposition party will raise in the Assembly, it is certain that AITC will attempt to corner the government on illegal coal mining and the deteriorating law-and-order situation.