Govt may pass finance bill in last week of budget session

The UPA government is mulling the option to seek the passage of the finance bill 2013 towards the end of the second half of the budget session.

The UPA government is mulling the option to seek the passage of the finance bill 2013 towards the end of the second half of the budget session.

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But the railways appropriation bill—that faces almost equal number of cut motions as the finance bill—is slated for an early floor test in Lok Sabha.

The second half of the budget session starts on April 22.

Last year, the finance bill was passed on May 8 while the curtains on the budget session came down on May 22.

This year, the parliamentary affairs ministry, headed by Kamal Nath, has proposed the window of May 6 and 7 for discussion and passage of the finance bill.

The budget session is coming to an end on May 10.

The schedule, however, requires formal approval by the business advisory committee headed by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

The plan also leaves a tight schedule for passing key bills that includes long-pending legislations on food security, land and rehabilitation, reforms in pension and insurance sectors.

The discussion on demand for grants on coal, new and renewable energy, agriculture and textiles ministry are slated between April 25 and 30, leaving 10 days to pass key reforms.