Chandigarh: The Punjab Budget session commenced on Friday with Governor Gulab Chand Kataria delivering the inaugural address, focusing on strengthening the state’s health sector. The session, scheduled to run for 11 days, will see the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) present its fifth and final Budget ahead of the next Assembly elections.
As the Governor spoke, Congress MLAs staged a walkout, signalling the Opposition’s dissatisfaction with the government and foreshadowing debates over rising public debt, which has crossed ₹4 lakh crore, and concerns regarding law and order.
Finance Minister Harpal Cheema is set to present the Budget proposals on Sunday, coinciding with International Women’s Day—a historic first for the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Party sources indicated that the government is likely to announce a monthly honorarium of ₹1,000 for women, a key poll promise aimed at strengthening support among female voters, who make up nearly 48 per cent of the state’s electorate.
Officials said the forthcoming Budget is expected to maintain the current tax structure without introducing new levies. The session will also provide the ruling party an opportunity to showcase its welfare initiatives while the Opposition is prepared to raise questions on the state’s fiscal health and governance issues.
The 11-day proceedings are anticipated to feature heated discussions as political parties prepare for the upcoming elections, with the Budget forming a central part of the campaign narrative.
