Rajya Sabha to hold general discussion on Union Budget, Jammu and Kashmir Budget

New Delhi [India], July 24 (ANI): A general discussion on the Union Budget and the budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the fiscal year 2024-25 will be held in the Rajya Sabha later on Wednesday.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented both the Union Budget and the Jammu and Kashmir Budget in the House on July 23. The discussion is crucial as both the budgets shape the financial direction of the country and the Union Territory, respectively.

The Union Budget outlines the government’s revenue and expenditure plans for the upcoming fiscal year, while the budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is a significant event considering the developmental needs.

As per the list of businesses of the Rajya Sabha, the discussion on these two budgets will be convened later in the day.

The discussion over these two budgets is expected to start in the second half of the day.

According to the list of business of the Rajya Sabha, the ministers that are set to lay the papers on the table are Jayant Chaudhary for the Ministry of Education; Pankaj Chaudhary for the Ministry of Finance; Nityanand Rai for the Ministry of Home Affairs; and Sukanta Majumdar for the Ministry of Education.

Besides, Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody will lay on the table the Public Accounts Committee reports.

This includes the 124th Report on Construction of Toilets in Schools by CPSEs; the 125th Report on Rejuvenation of the Ganga (Namami Gange); the 126th Report on Avoidable Payment due to Non-Charging of Service Tax/GST from the Passengers; and the 127th Report on Action Taken by the Government on the Observations and Recommendations of the Committee contained in their 46th Report (16th Lok Sabha) on Implementation of the Public-Private Partnership Project at Chhatrpati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, among others.

The reports were presented to the Speaker on February 23 and April 29, 2024, and to the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, on February 28 and May 13, 2024, before the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha.

The Speaker had ordered the printing, publication and circulation of the reports.

As per the business list of the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju will move the motion for election to the committee on the welfare of other backward classes.

Kiren Rijiju will also move the motion for nomination to the committee on the welfare of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. The motion for nomination to the committee on public accounts will also be moved by Union Minister Rijiju in the House today. Moreover, Kiren Rijiju will move the motion for nomination to the committee on public undertakings.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2024-25 on Tuesday during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. Nirmala Sitharaman became the first finance minister to present seven consecutive budget speeches, surpassing former prime minister Morarji Desai’s record of six consecutive budgets as finance minister between 1959 and 1964.

In her seventh budget, Nirmala Sitharaman outlined key priorities aimed at fostering economic growth and creating ample opportunities. These included productivity and resilience in agriculture, employment, and skilling and services.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the Union Budget 2024 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

“This budget strengthens every section of society. It takes the country’s poor, village and farmers on the path of prosperity,” the prime minister said in a video message.
The Prime Minister praised the budget, emphasising its potential for job generation by incentivizing the top 500 companies to recruit more youth and also induct interns. The PM said the budget would help India achieve its objective of becoming the third largest economy, besides laying a strong foundation for Viksit Bharat.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday also said the Union Budget 2024-25 is game-changing and will go down in history for coupling Bharat’s economic growth with the torque of its youth power. He also lauded the government’s decision to provide training and internship programmes to youth.

The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, welcomed the Union Budget 2024 laid before Parliament on Tuesday.

Calling the Union Budget 2024 a ‘visionary document’, Sonowal said, “The Union Budget, 2024 lays the roadmap for renewed and holistic growth towards Viksit Bharat. This visionary budget is aimed at empowering the ‘Garib’ (poor), ‘Mahilayen’ (women), ‘Yuva’ (youth), and Annadata’ (farmers) so that the process of development reaches every citizen of the country.”

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that Union Budget 2024 stands out for its unprecedented push towards employment generation and powering small businesses.