Kolkata: Budget session for Bengal assembly has been scheduled in the first week if Feb, parliamentary affairs minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay said on Tuesday. The exact date for the presentation of the interim budget, however, has not been finalised yet, sources said.
With assembly elections due later this year, the state is expected to place a vote on account, restricting spending proposals to essential expenditure and deferring major commitments until after the election.
The timing of the session will closely follow the Union Budget, which finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present on Feb 1.
Political attention is focused on whether Centre will announce measures for election-bound states, including Bengal, and address pending dues claimed by state govt. Officials indicated that state's interim budget calculations are likely to factor in the Union Budget announcements.
In 2021, CM Mamata Banerjee had used the interim budget to raise Lakshmir Bhandar assistance from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000, a promise that was implemented after her return to office.