Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: As the Budget Session commences on Monday, all eyes will be set on the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, which would present its first Railway and Union Budget in the next few days.

The session will begin today and conclude on August 14.

The BJP-led government at the Centre will faces its first test in the Parliament as the Opposition is expected the corner it on the issue of price rise, rail fare hike and the plight of Tamil Nadu fishermen.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu has said the government is ready for a discussion on any issue and appealed to the Opposition to “cooperate” to ensure that the decorum and dignity of Parliament is maintained and the House business was carried out smoothly.

The government has outlined its legislative agenda, which includes bills for amending insurance laws and regulating the real estate sector, in the Budget session.

The Rail budget will be presented on July 8 and the General budget on July 10, revealing the economic priorities of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government which came to office in May.

The government also intends to bring bills to replace the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India or TRAI (Amendment) Ordinance, 2014 and the Ordinance with respect to Polavaram project under Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2014.

The TRAI (Amendment) Ordinance cleared on May 28 ensured that the government could appoint Nripendra Misra as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister. The Andhra Pradesh ordinance was promulgated on May 29, ahead of the official division of the state on June 2.

Naidu also said that Commerce Ministry will be bringing a bill on the National Institute of Design.

Congress leader Rashid Alvi said that price rise was a major issue for the party.

“There has been hike in rail fares. Prices of diesel and petrol have gone up. This government had talked of bringing ‘ache din (good days)’. Is this the way to bring them,” Alvi told IANS.

He also said that the party will also raise the issues concerning Indians in Iraq.

Asked about Congress’ keenness on its leader in Lok Sabha getting leader of opposition status, Alvi said that party should be recognised as the main opposition party.

Congress with 44 members is the second-largest party in the Lok Sabha, but falls short of the 10 percent mark — 55 members in the 545-member house — which the government has cited as mandatory as per rules for getting the leader of opposition status.

Alvi contended there was “no hard and fast rule” about the need for the main opposition party to have 10 percent of the house’s membership to be recognised, and noted the position was necessary as it “plays a role in some key appointments”.

Apart from Congress, Trinamool Congress has also made it clear that it was keen to raise issues of price hike and increase in rail fares.

First Published: Monday, July 07, 2014, 01:50