UP Budget 2021-22 HIGHLIGHTS: Rs 2,000 crore for Jewar airport, Rs 101 crore for Ayodhya | Full details here

UP Budget 2021 |  Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh presented the first paperless Budget 2021 in the Legislative Assembly on Monday.

Uttar Pradesh will be the first state in the country to table a paperless budget. Thie year’s budget is the fifth budget of the Adityanath government in the state.

Highlights of UP Budget 2021-22

• The budget size for the year is Rs. 05 lakh 50 thousand 270 crore 78 lakh (Rs. 5,50,270.78 crore).
• The budget includes new schemes of Rs. 27 thousand 598 crore 40 lakh (Rs. 27,598.40 crore).
Farmers Welfare
• In view of doubling farmers’ income by the year 2022, an outlay of Rs. 100 crore proposed for Atma Nirbhar Krishak Samanvit Vikas Yojana in the year 2021-22.
• Rs. 600 crore proposed for the Mukhyamantri Krishak Durghatna Kalyan Yojana.
• A provision of Rs. 700 crore for the free water facility to farmers.
• A provision of Rs. 400 crore to providing crop loan to farmers at concessional rates.
• Target of setting up of 15 thousand solar pumps in the financial year 2021-22 fixed.

Women Welfare

• A provision of Rs. 1200 crore for implementation of Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana after improving it further.
• A provision of Rs. 100 crore for the solution of malnutrition problem of the women and children in the year 2021-22 under Mukhyamantri Saksham Suraksha Yojana.
• A provision of Rs. 4094 crore for Nutritional Programme and Rs. 415 crore for National Nutrition Campaign.
• A provision of Rs. 200 crore for the new scheme named Mahila Samarthya Yojana during the financial year 2021-2022.
• A provision of Rs. 32 crore proposed for establishing Mahila Shakti Kendras.

Youth Welfare

• Tablets to be provided to eligible students under ‘Mukhya Mantri Abhyudaya’ Yojana.
• A plan to set up Model Career Centre in 12 other districts of the state.
• Rs. 8.55 crore proposed for Youth Sports Development and Promotion Scheme.
• A provision of Rs. 25 crore made for the construction of rural stadium and open gym.
• A provision of Rs. 20 crore made for the establishment of new sports university in Meerut district.
• A provision of Rs. 20 crore made for the promotion of Yuwak evam Mahila Mangal Dal during the year 2021-2022.
• A provision of Rs. 5 crore for the corpus fund is made to provide
financial assistance to young advocates.
• Proposal for an amount of Rs. 20 crore made for the construction of Advocate Chamber and development of other infrastructure facilities in various districts of the state.
• A budget provision of Rs. 10 crore made for young advocates to facilitate purchase of books and magazines etc.

Labour Welfare

• ‘Mukhyamantri Pravasi Shramik Udyamita Vikas Yojana’ a new scheme of Rs. 100 crore is being launched with the aim of providing employment and self-employment to the migrant workers coming from other states.
• A provision of Rs. 12 crore made for Mukhyamantri Durghatna Bima Yojana for providing social security to palledars, labourers’ families and workers of unorganized sector.
• Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana launched. Provision of Rs. 100 crore for this scheme.
• A provision of Rs. 270 crore for Atal Awasiya Vidyalaya.

Medical & Health

• A provision of Rs. 50 crore for vaccination scheme towards prevention of Covid-19.

• A provision of Rs. 5395 crore made for Rashtriya Gramin Swasthya Mission.
• A provision of Rs. 1300 crore made for Ayushman Bharat Yojana.
• A provision of Rs 142 crore made for Ayushman Bharat- Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
• A provision of Rs. 320 crore made for Pradhanmantri Matritva Vandana Yojana.
• A provision of Rs. 1073 crore made for creating diagnostic infrastructure for primary health care facilities.
• A provision of Rs. 425 crore made for Urban Health and Arogya Centres.
• A provision of Rs. 54 crore made for strengthening the State Drug Control System where as Rs. 50 crore proposed for the establishment of food and drug laboratories and divisional offices in 12 commissionaires of the state.
• A provision of Rs. 77 crore made for establishment of block level Public Health Units.

Medical Education

• A provision of Rs. 1950 crore made for construction of new medical colleges in 13 districts such as Bijnor, Kushinagar, Sultanpur, Gonda Lalitpur, Lakhimpur-Kheri, Chandauli, Bulandshahar, Sonbhadra, Pilibhit, Auraiya, Kanpur Dehat and Kaushambi.
• A provision of Rs. 48 crore for medical colleges of 16 un- served districts of the state to make them operational in PPP mode.
• Budget of Rs. 23 crore proposed for National Digital Health Mission.
• Budget of Rs. 960 crore proposed for medical colleges under construction in Etah, Hardoi, Pratapgarh, Fatehpur, Siddharthnagar, Deoria, Ghazipur and Mirzapur.
• A budget of Rs. 175 crore proposed for the establishment of new medical colleges in Amethi and Balrampur.

• A budget provision of Rs. 100 crore for the establishment of the
Atal Bihari Bajpayee Medical University, Lucknow.
• Budget provision of Rs. 100 crore for providing medical facilities for incurable diseases.
• Target of setting up Bio Safety Level – 4 Lab under Institute of Virology and Infectious Diseases in Lucknow.
• Decision to establish Advanced Diabetes Centre at SGPGI, Lucknow.

Sanitation

• Budget provision of Rs. 15,000 crore for Jal Jeevan Mission (Gramin) Scheme.
• From the financial year 2021-2022, arrangements will be made to provide all accessible water supply with domestic tap connections in urban local bodies and liquid waste management in Amrut cities. A budget provision of Rs. 2000 crore proposed for this scheme.
• A budget provision of Rs. 22 crore for the Mukhyamantri RO Drinking Water Scheme.
• A budget provision of Rs. 2031 crore for the construction of 12 lakh 13 thousand private toilets and 98 thousand community toilets in the year 2021-2022 under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) scheme.
• Budget provision of Rs 1400 crore for Swachh Bharat Mission (Shahri).
• Provision of Rs 175 crore for urban sewerage and drainage system.
Industrial Development and Infrastructure
• Budget provision of Rs 1107 crore for Purvanchal Express- way Project.
• Budget provision of Rs 1492 crore for Bundelkhand Express- way Project.
• Budget provision of Rs. 860 crore for Gorakhpur Link Express- way Project.

• Budget provision of Rs. 7,200 crore for land acquisition of Ganga Express-way Project and Rs. 489 crore for construction work.

Public Works

• A budget of Rs 12,441 crore for the construction of roads and bridges under the Public Works Department for the financial year 2021-2022.
• A budget of Rs 4,135 crore proposed for the maintenance of roads and bridges.
• A budget of 695 crore rupees is proposed for connecting villages and habitations with pucca link roads.
• A budget provision of Rs. 440 crore for construction of roads under World Bank Aided Uttar Pradesh Core Road Network Project and Rs. 208 crore for construction of roads under Asian Development Bank assisted U.P. Mukhya Zila Vikas Pariyojna.
• A budget of Rs. 1,192 crore proposed for the construction of
railway over bridges. Special Area Programme
• Rs. 300 crore budget proposed for special schemes of Purvanchal.
• Budget of Rs. 210 crore proposed for special schemes of Bundelkhand region.

Irrigation and Water Resources

• Aim to complete 08 projects in the year 2021-2022.
• Budget provision of Rs. 1,137 crore for Madhya Ganga Nahar Pariyojna, Rs. 976 crore for Rajghat Nahar Pariyojna, Rs. 610 crore for Saryu Nahar Pariyojna, Rs. 271 crore for Purvi Ganga Nahar Pariyojna and Rs. 104 crore for Ken Betwa Link Nahar Pariyojna.
Civil Aviation
• In the Ayodhya district, the name of the airport that is under construction will be Maryada Purushottam Shriram Airport Ayodhya. A budget provision of Rs. 101 crore is proposed for this purpose.

• Decision to increase the number of airstrips at Jewar Airport from 2 to 6. A budget provision of Rs. 2,000 crore for this project.
Energy and Alternate Energy
• Under Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana (Naveen), cent percent target of electrification of 100 MP Adarsh villages has been completed.
• According to the demand of electricity, 8,262 MW power generation projects are in the process of completion, these projects will start from the year of 2020-21 to 2023-24.

Housing

• Under the component of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Shahri) a target has been fixed to construct 4 lakh houses from the year 2018 to 2021, which will be in addition to the houses to be constructed by SUDA.
• A provision of Rs. 140 crore for the overall development Suryakund at Ayodhya and the city development.
• A provision of Rs. 50 crore has been made for the construction of

Rashtriya Prerna Sthal in Lucknow.

• A provision of Rs. 597 crore is proposed for Kanpur Metro Rail Project.
• A provision of Rs. 478 crore is proposed for Agra Metro Rail project.
• A provision of Rs. 1,326 crore is proposed for the Delhi- Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor.
• A provision of Rs. 100 crore is proposed for the metro rail project in Varanasi, Gorakhpur and other cities.

Urban Development

• A provision of Rs. 10,029 crore for Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Shahri).
• A provision of Rs. 2,200 crore under the Amrut Yojna.
• A provision of Rs. 2,000 crore under the Smart City Scheme in
10 selected cities of the state- Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj,Varanasi, Agra, Saharanpur, Bareilly, Jhansi, Moradabad and Aligarh.

• A provision of Rs. 175 crore for the Rajya Smart City Yojna has been made in the financial year 2021-2022. The State Government has decided to develop 10 Nagar Nigams – Varanasi, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Ayodhya, Firozabad, Gorakhpur, Mathura-Vrindavan and Shahjahanpur as smart and safe cities under this scheme.
• A provision of Rs. 80 crore is proposed for the Kanha Gaushala evam Besahara Pashu Aashray Yojana.
• A provision of Rs. 15 crore for the construction of a park / exhibition site / auditorium in memory of the martyrs is made.

Planning

• A provision of Rs. 10 crore for special schemes in the Bundelkhand region.
• A budget provision of Rs. 2,500 crore for Twarit Aarthik Vikas Yojana.
• A provision of Rs. 1,000 crore for the Mukhyamantri Samagra Sampada Vikas Yojana.

Rural Development

• Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), a budget provision of Rs. 7,000 crore is proposed.
• A provision of Rs. 369 crore under Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana-Gramin.
• A provision of Rs. 5,548 crore under Rashtriya Gramin Rojgar Guarantee Yojana to create 35 crore man days employment.
• Under Batch-1 of Pradhanmantri Gram Sadak Yojana-3, a budget provision of Rs. 5,000 crore is proposed.

Panchayati Raj

• A provision of Rs. 10 crore for the establishment of 02 Chandrasekhar Azad Gramin Vikas Sachivalaya in each Nyaya Panchayat.

• A provision of Rs. 25 crore to encourage excellent gram panchayats under the Mukhyamantri Panchayat Protsahan Yojana.
• A provision of Rs. 20 crore for the construction of multipurpose panchayat buildings in gram panchayats.
• A budget arrangement of Rs. 653 crore is proposed for capacity augmentation, training and construction of structural framework in panchayats under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan.
• For the expansion of e-governance in the villages, a provision of Rs. 04 crore for Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Panchayat Sashaktikaran Yojana.

Agriculture

• Target has been fixed for food grain production of 644 lakh MT and oil seeds production of 13 lakh MT in the financial year of 2021-2022.
• In the year 2020-2021, Kharif production target of 223 lakh MT, Rabi target 417 lakh MT and oilseed target 12 lakh MT is set.
• The target of distribution of 62 lakh 50 thousand quintal seeds is proposed in 2021-2022.
Cane Development and Sugar Industry
• Distillation of 120 kiloliters per day capacity will be established in Pipraich sugar mill which will start in December 2021. There will be facility to manufacture ethanol. Pipraich Mill will be the first sugar mill in North India to manufacture ethanol directly from sugarcane juice.
• The crushing capacity of Mohiuddinpur-Meerut Sugar Mill of the corporation area was increased to 3,500 TCD from 2,500 TCD. A target to increase the crushing capacity of Mohiuddinpur-Meerut Sugar Mill from 3,500 TCD to 5,000 TCD is proposed to benefit 1,00,000 cane farmers in the state.
Agriculture Education and Research
• Decision to set up 20 new Krishi Vigyan Kendra for dissemination of latest agricultural information. Out of 20 Krishi Vigyan Kendra 17 are operational. Land transfer and action for implementation is under process for the remaining 03 Krishi Vigyan Kendra.

Animal Husbandry

• Upgrading breed, along with animal health, disease control, livestock insurance, construction of new veterinary hospitals and establishment of cow-protection centers as well as setting up of temporary cow-shelter sites are aimed.
• Under the Rastriya Pashu Rog Niyantran Karayakaram, a target has been fixed to eliminate the mouth and foot disease by the year 2030 in the state.
Fisheries
• In the financial year 2021-2022, 10-year lease allocation of 3,000 hectare community ponds owned by gram panchayats and 300 crore finger lings production / finger lings distribution from all sources is proposed.
• 02 lakh fishermen are proposed to be covered for free Premium under Machhuwa Durghatna Beema Yogna.
• A provision of Rs. 243 crore made for the new scheme

‘Pradhanmantri Matsya Sampada Yojana’.

• Horticulture & Food Processing
• A provision of Rs. 400 crore is made for the Pradhanmantri Sookshm Khadya Udyog Unnayan Yojana.
• A budget provision of Rs. 40 crore is made for the implementation of Uttar Pradesh Food Processing Industry Policy, 2017.
Co-operative
• A provision of Rs. 150 crore is made for advance storage of chemical fertilizers.
• A provision of Rs. 400 crore is made under the Interest Subsidy Scheme to provide concessional loan to the farmers.
• A provision of Rs. 10 crore made for Ekikrat Sahkari Vikas Yojana.

Micro, Small & Medium Industries

• A provision of Rs. 250 crore is made for the One District-One Product (ODOP) scheme.
• A provision of Rs. 100 crore proposed made to set up industrial parks / locations / clusters in PPP mode in the closed spinning mills belonging to UP

State Spinning Company by reviving their assets.

• A provision of Rs. 100 crore is made for the Mukhyamantri Yuva Swarojgar Yojana.
• A provision of Rs. 30 crore is made for traditional artisans of urban and rural areas under the Vishwakarma Shram Samman Yojana.
Khadi and Gramodyog
• An arrangement of interest-free loans up to Rs. 10 lakh made for reserved category beneficiaries and general category women and the same at 4 percent annual interest for male beneficiaries of general category under the Mukhyamantri Gramodyog Rozgar Yojana.
• A provision of Rs. 10 crore is made to preserve / promote the art and artisans of traditional Matikala.

Handloom and Textile Industries

• A target to generate 25,000 employment in the field of textiles in the financial year 2021-2022.
• Power supply to power loom weavers by the state government at a subsidized rate.
IT and Electronics
• Establishment of Electronic City on Yamuna Expressway near Jewar Airport and Defense Electronics Manufacturing Cluster in Bundelkhand.
• PPP model based construction of ‘Advanced Information Technology Complex’ in 40 acre area at Nadarganj near Lucknow Airport proposed.

Basic Education

• A provision of Rs. 40 crore is made to provide free Uniform every year to all students of classes 01 to 08.
• Arrangement of Rs. 300 crore for the financial year 2021-2022 for providing shoes & shocks and sweaters to all primary students.
• A provision of Rs. 110 crore for the financial year 2021-2022 to provide school bags to students of class-1 to class-8.
• Rs. 3,406 crore for the mid-day meal programme proposed.
• A budgetary arrangement of Rs. 18,172 crore for the year 2021- 2022 made for Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan.

Secondary Education

• A budgetary provision of Rs. 90 crore made for completing the remaining works of Sainik School Mainpuri, Jhansi and Amethi and construction of 01 new Sainik School in Gorakhpur district.
• A provision of Rs. 200 crore for development of infrastructure facilities in the aided Madhyamik schools.
• A provision of Rs. 05 crore made for the construction of aided Secondary Schools building, establishment facility in Government Sanskrit Schools, formation of Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Education Directorate and Uttar Pradesh Secondary Sanskrit Education Council office building.
• Arrangement of Rs. 15 crore for development of Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey, Sainik School, Sarojninagar, doubling its capacity, construction of hostel of 150 capacity for girl cadets and construction of one thousand capacity auditorium.
• A budget provision of Rs. 100 crore is proposed to complete the residual works of the Government Inter Colleges.
Higher Education
• One state university will be set up in each of the un-served divisions of the state.
• Rs. 200 crore provision made for construction of Government Degree College buildings in 2021-2022.

Vocational Education & Skill Development

• Free training for SC/ST category candidates in all State Government Industrial Training Institutes.
Culture and Religious Endowment Works
• In view of centenary year of Chouri-Choura incidence, a provision of Rs. 15 crore made for year round celebration of Chouri-Choura Shatabadi Mahotsava.
• A provision of Rs. 300 crore made for construction of approach road to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple, Ayodhya Dham.
• A proposal of Rs. 08 crore for the construction of Uttar Pradesh Tribal Museum in Lucknow and Rs. 4 crore for the freedom fighter gallery in Shahjahanpur made.
• The State Government has decided to confer ‘Uttar Pradesh Gaurav Samman’ to eminent writers and artists who have not been decorated by any awards in the state. Under this scheme, a maximum of 05 people will be honoured every year and each person honoured will be given a sum of Rs. 11 lakh.

Tourism

• A provision of Rs. 100 crore made for the development and beautification of tourism facilities in Ayodhya.
• A provision of Rs. 100 crore made for the development and beautification of tourism facilities in Varanasi.
• A provision of Rs. 200 crore made for the Mukhyamantri Paryatan Sthal Vikas Yojana.
• An arrangement of Rs. 20 crore made for various schemes of tourism development in Chitrakoot. Apart from this, a provision of Rs. 30 crore for site development in Vindhyachal and Naimisharanya.

Forest and Environment

• Target to increase 15% forest cover by the year 2030.
• Target to plant 30 crore saplings in the year 2021 and 35 crore saplings to be planted in the year 2022.

• A provision of Rs. 600 crore made for Rajya Pratikaratmak Vanropan Yojana.
• Proposal of Rs. 400 crore made to provide incentives to Samajik Vaniki Karyakaram.
Social Welfare
• A provision of Rs. 3,100 crore is made under the Vridhawastha
/ Kisaan Pension Yojana.
• A provision of Rs. 500 crore is made under the Rastriya Parivarik Labh Yojana.
• A provision of Rs. 1430 crore made for Purvadasham (Pre- Matric) & Dashmottar (Post-Matric) Scholarship Scheme for Scheduled and General Classes.
• A provision of Rs. 250 crore made for the Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana.
• Rs. 150 crore proposed under Daughter’s Marriage Assistance Scheme for the daughters of scheduled caste and general category persons living below poverty line.

Backward Class Welfare

• A provision of Rs. 1,375 crore is proposed for scholarship scheme of backward class students.
• Arrangement of Rs. 150 crore for marriage grant scheme of daughters of poor people belonging to other backward classes.
Minority Welfare
• A provision of Rs. 829 crore for the scholarship of minority students under scholarship scheme.
• Rs. 588 crore for developing basic amenities facilities in minority dominated districts.
• Rs. 479 crore for Madarsa Modernisation scheme is proposed.

Divyangjan Kalyan

• Provisions of Rs. 720 crore proposed for pension of Rs. 500 per month to about 10.87 lakh eligible Divyangjan under Divyang Pension Scheme.

• Rs. 39 crore is proposed for rehabilitation of leprosy affected divyangjan.
• Rs. 25 crore for care of children of Divyang couples under Palanhar Scheme.
• Rs. 30 crore for remaining work of school buildings to established Integrated Special Secondary Schools is proposed.
• Rs. 10 crore for Government Mentally Retarded Shelter Homes cum Training Centres buildings.

Law and Justice

• Decision to set up National Law University in District Prayagraj.
• Rs. 450 crore for buildings of courts in districts is proposed.
• Rs. 100 crore for constructions of houses for Hon’ble judges of the High Court is proposed.
• A budget provision of Rs. 150 crore for building construction of Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court and Rs. 450 crore for Allahabad High Court is made.
• Rs. 20 crore received from the sale of welfare stamps is being proposed for transfer to trustee committee of Lawyers Welfare Fund.
Transport
• 23 prominent bus stations to be developed on PPP mode for the modernization of bus stations.

Revenue Fiscal Services

State GST Service Tax and VAT

• A revenue receipt target of Rs. 01 lakh 04 thousand 385 crore (Rs. 1,04,385 crore) from State Goods and Service Tax (SGST) and Value Added Tax (VAT) has been fixed.
Excise Duty
• A revenue receipt target of Rs. 41 thousand 05 hundred crore (Rs. 41,500 crore) is fixed from excise duty.

Stamp and Registration

• A revenue receipt target of Rs. 25 thousand 05 hundred crore (Rs. 25,500 crore) is fixed from stamp and registration.
Motor Vehicle Tax
• A revenue receipt target of Rs. 09 thousand 03 hundred 50 crore (Rs. 9,350 crore) is fixed from motor vehicle tax.
Budget Estimate For Year 2021-2022
• The budget size for the year is Rs. 05 lakh 50 thousand 270 crore 78 lakh (Rs. 5,50,270.78 crore).
• The budget includes new schemes of Rs. 27 thousand 598 crore 40 lakh (Rs. 27,598.40 crore).

Receipts

• The total receipts estimated include at Rs. 05 lakh 06 thousand 181 crore 84 lakh (Rs. 5,06,181.84 crore).
• The total receipts include Rs. 04 lakh 18 thousand 340 crore 44 lakh (Rs. 4,18,340.44 crore) by way of revenue receipts and Rs. 87 thousand 841 crore 40 lakh (Rs. 87,841.40 crore) by way of capital receipts.
• The revenue receipts include Rs. 03 lakh 05 thousand 740 crore 30 lakh (Rs. 3,05,740.30 crore) by way of tax revenue. The tax revenue include Rs. 1 lakh 86 thousand 345 crore (Rs. 1,86,345 crore) as tax revenue from own source and Rs. 01 lakh 19 thousand 395 crore 30 lakh (Rs. 1,19,395.30 crore) as state’s share in the central taxes.

Expenditure

• A total expenditure of Rs. 05 lakh 50 thousand 270 crore 78 lakh (Rs. 5,50,270.78 crore) is estimated.
• The total expenditure includes Rs. 03 lakh 95 thousand 130 crore
35 lakh (Rs. 3.95,130.35 crore) as expenditure under revenue accounts and Rs. 01 lakh 55 thousand 140 crore 43 lakh (Rs. 1,55,140.43 crore) as Capital Account.

Consolidated Fund

• After deducting the total expenditure from the receipts of the consolidated fund, a deficit of Rs. 44 thousand 88 crore 94 lakh (Rs. 44,088.94 crore) is estimated.
Public Account
• Net receipt of Rs. 05 thousand 500 crore (Rs. 5,500 crore) is estimated from public account.
Net Result of All Transactions
• The net result of all transactions is estimated to be of minus (-) Rs. 37 thousand 988 crore 94 lakh [(-)Rs. 37,988.94 crore)].
Closing Balance
• The closing balance is estimated to be of Rs. 14 thousand 33 crore 12 lakh (Rs. 14,033.12 crore) while taking the opening balance of Rs. 23 thousand 955 crore 82 lakh (23,955.82 crore) is estimated to be in minus.
Revenue Saving
• Revenue saving is estimated of Rs. 23 thousand 210 crore 09 lakh (Rs. 23,210.09 crore)
Fiscal Deficit
• The fiscal deficit is estimated of Rs. 90 thousand 729 crore 80 lakh (Rs. 90,729.80 crore), which is 4.17 percent of the estimated Gross State Domestic Product.
• The State’s Debt Liability is estimated to be 28.1 percent of Gross State Domestic Product.
The name of the airport under construction in district Ayodhya will be Maryada Purushottam Shriram Airport. I propose a budget provision of Rs 101 crores for it: UP Finance Minister Suresh Khanna

All members of the State Legislature have been provided iPads to view the budget highlights which will also be available on two big screens put up in the House.The Budget Session was commenced on February 18 with an address by Governor Anandiben Patel to a joint sitting of both houses. The session will continue till March 10.

Last week, an all-party meeting was called by Speaker Hriday Narayan Dikshit ahead of the budget presentation. He sought cooperation from the opposition parties for the smooth functioning of the budget session.

He had informed that the budget will be paperless and the finance minister will read out the Budget paper from a tablet.
On February 16, COVID-19 tests of all MLAs and MLCs were conducted in view of the pandemic.