No more ordinances, govt gears up for a busy budget session

The NDA government is gearing up for a tight schedule of the budget session and has decided not to push any more ordinances for the time being. Sources in the government said that the six ordinances lined up for clearance will be slated for approval of the House in the first half of the budget session.

The NDA government is gearing up for a tight schedule of the budget session and has decided not to push any more ordinances for the time being.

Sources in the government said that the six ordinances lined up for clearance will be slated for approval of the House in the first half of the budget session.

The centre, which was able to clear two key labour reforms bills in the last session of Parliament, is keen to push more reforms in the budget session. But in the wake of the widespread criticism from political opponents, the government managers have decided against pushing any more ordinances.

The decision to not go further on the ordinance route also comes in the wake of reports that on at least two occasions, President Pranab Mukherjee had sought further explanations from senior ministers over the urgency to enact laws.

The session, sources said, is expected to start from the last week of February. The government will schedule the session for 30 to 35 working days depending upon the workload.

The union budget is likely to be tabled on 27 February and will be preceded by the railway budget and the Economic Survey.

The NDA government has, so far, moved 10 ordinances. Among the key ordinances that will come up for approval of the Parliament in the budget session are the land bill amendments, insurance bill, coal bill and allowing e-rickshaws to ply.