State budget session from Feb third week

According to indications emerging, the Budget Session of the State Assembly will begin in the third week of February.

An indication to this effect has been spelt out by Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy at the secretariat on Friday.

Categorically ruling out a ‘vote-on-account’ budget in the coming session, Mr Ramnarayan Reddy said that the government will contemplate the tabling of the annual budget after the much awaited 'Racha Banda' programme which is scheduled to begin on January 24, from Srikakulam district, is concludes.

This will be the first presentation of the Budget for Mr Ramnarayan Reddy. Earlier, Mr Rosaiah presented the budget since 2004, and continued till last year. Mr Rosaiah has the distinction of presenting the state budget for a record 16 times.

The Finance Minister, who is a participant in the forthcoming Racha Banda scheme, expressed confidence that it will go on as scheduled in the state and invited Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao to take part in the programme.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is expected to kickstart the government sponsored prestigious Racha Banda programme on January 24.