Budget Session of Parliament to Begin Today

The Budget Session of Parliament begins today with President Droupadi Murmu addressing a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, setting the tone for the government’s financial and legislative agenda for the year ahead.

The session will see the presentation of the Economic Survey on January 29, offering a snapshot of how the Indian economy performed over the past year and outlining expectations for the coming months. This will be followed by the Union Budget for 2026–27, which will be tabled on February 1.

The Budget Session is scheduled to run for 65 days, spread across 30 sittings, and will conclude on April 2. Parliament will break for a short recess on February 13 and resume on March 9, allowing parliamentary committees time to examine the spending proposals of various ministries.

The first phase of the session will largely focus on budget-related discussions and the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address. Other legislative and policy matters are expected to be taken up mainly in the second half of the session.

Ahead of the session, an all-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was held to outline the agenda and ensure smooth functioning of Parliament. Leaders from different political parties shared the issues they plan to raise during the session and assured cooperation.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore said his party would focus on public concerns such as alleged vote-related issues, paddy procurement, and the MGNREGA scheme. Several other parties also flagged region-specific and national issues they intend to bring before Parliament.

Political leaders and ministers were seen arriving in Delhi ahead of the session. Union ministers and MPs from various parties, including George Kurian, Ramdas Athawale, Supriya Sule and Asaduddin Owaisi, reached the capital to take part in the proceedings.

BJD MP Sasmit Patra said his party raised concerns related to Odisha, including farmers’ distress, law and order issues, unemployment and pending demands such as coal royalty revision. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant said issues like pollution and unemployment would also be raised.

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal expressed hope that the upcoming Budget would ensure fair financial allocations to states and address concerns arising from previous reductions recommended by the Finance Commission. AAP MP Sanjay Singh criticised the Centre’s foreign policy and also flagged issues related to voter lists.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju urged all parties to cooperate for the smooth conduct of the session, stating that the government is open to discussions on important issues in line with parliamentary rules. He added that the government will also move forward with its legislative agenda, including several pending bills, during the session.

Also Read: Budget 2026: Will the Middle Class Get Another Tax Break or Is Relief Set to Slow?