A nine-day special session has been scheduled in the West Bengal Assembly for discussions on the departmental budget. Starting from July 17 and concluding on July 25, the session will focus on the budgetary allocation for 13 state government departments. State ministers responsible for the departments will present the details of budgetary allocations, followed by discussions.
The state home department’s budgetary allocations will receive significant attention during this session. Three hours have been earmarked for discussions on July 22, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari providing the final response. This move marks a shift from the past, where discussions on budgetary allocations were infrequent, especially for departments under the previous Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee.
The new government aims to enhance transparency by encouraging discussions on departmental allocations, particularly for departments with significant public interest. This shift is a departure from past practices where budget approvals were expedited through a parliamentary procedure known as a budget “guillotine.” The state finance minister has also announced plans to present reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India in the Assembly, a practice overlooked in the previous administration.
