New Delhi, Jan 31: President Droupadi Murmu will address both Houses of Parliament on Friday, marking the beginning of the Budget Session.

The President will address the joint sitting at 11 a.m. After her address, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will table the Economic Survey 2024-25 in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha separately.

The survey will provide an official assessment of the performance of the economy in the ongoing financial year, and list out the challenges being faced by the nation.

The Indian economy is projected to expand by 6.6 per cent in 2025, primarily supported by robust private consumption and investment, according to a United Nations report

According to the Parliamentary Bulletin, the Budget Session will be in two phases. The first part of the Budget session of the Parliament will begin on January 31, with the Union Budget on February 1, and conclude on February 13.

The second part of the Budget Session will commence on March 10 and will conclude on April 4. “Discussions are scheduled for February 3, 4, and 6, with the reply set for February 6, provisionally allotted for discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address to be moved by a Member and seconded by another Member,” the bulletin read.

Minister Sitharaman will present the Union Budget on Saturday (February 1) for the eighth consecutive time.

Sixteen Bills, including the Finance Bill 2025, amendments to the Waqf and Banking Regulations Act, and the merging of the Indian Railways and Indian Railways Board Acts, will be tabled in the Budget Session.

Among the 13 other Bills likely to be tabled in this session are amendments to the Disaster Management and Oilfields (Regulation and Development) laws. Bills dealing with coastal and merchant shipping and another seeking to rename the Institute of Rural Management Anand as the Tribhuvan Sahkari University and declare it ‘an institution of national importance’ may also be presented.

Ahead of the upcoming Union Budget, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju appealed to the opposition for cooperation in holding smooth discussions in both Houses during the upcoming session. “In the last two sessions, there was some hungama in Parliament which created a poor image of our Parliament. I want to appeal to Opposition leaders and other MPs to take part and hold discussions in Parliament during the session. If the Opposition allows the Parliament to run, then discussions can happen easily,” he said.

New Delhi: As the Delhi Assembly polls approach, allegations and counter-allegations from political parties in the Union Territory have intensified. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, in a social media post, made a sensational claim stating that the Delhi Police had reached Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s residence in Delhi to conduct a raid.

Attacking the BJP over the alleged incident, she said, “The BJP people are openly distributing money, shoes, and blankets in broad daylight—that doesn’t get noticed. Instead, they rush to raid the residence of an elected Chief Minister.”

“Wow, BJP! The people of Delhi will give their answer on the 5th (election day)!” she added.

Atishi’s post claiming a raid at Bhagwant Mann’s residence comes amid reports of massive security deployment outside Kapurthala House, the official residence of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann in Delhi.

Shortly after Atishi’s post, Returning Officer OP Pandey told media outside Mann’s residence, “We have got a complaint about money distribution. We have to dispose of the complaint in 100 minutes. Our FST had come here which was not allowed to enter. I have come here to request them to let us enter along with a cameraperson. The complaint of money distribution was received on the cVIGIL app.”

Notably, the police yesterday seized a large amount of cash and liquor have been seized from a car with a “Punjab government” sticker in Delhi. According to reports, AAP pamphlets were also found in the car.

Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit stated, “I wrote a letter to the LG about 25 days ago, informing him about Punjab-registered vehicles and Punjab Police bringing large amounts of money into Delhi. Today, that claim has been proven true. There is also information that Punjab Bhawan is being used as an office for the AAP. The police should raid Punjab Bhawan and investigate what is hidden inside its rooms.”

New Delhi, Jan 30: The Congress on Thursday promised enhanced educational and job opportunities for Muslim and other minority voters in Delhi after it comes to power in the February 5 Assembly election.

Addressing a press conference here, Congress MP Imran Masood hit out at the AAP government in Delhi for making hollow promises to minorities.

He said the Congress will take steps for the welfare of Muslims and minorities by implementing the UPA government’s 15-point programme based on Justice Rajinder Sachar committee report.

“The AAP was exposed during the CAA agitation and the Delhi riots in 2020,” he said, adding that minorities and the underprivileged have been at the receiving end ever since the AAP came to power in Delhi and the BJP came to power at the Centre.

He said the Congress manifesto for the Delhi Assembly election reflects its commitment to protect and uplift the minorities, to bring them into the mainstream by facilitating their progress through various schemes.

He said that both the AAP and the BJP had ignored and suppressed the interest of minorities for the past 10 years.

Masood said on coming to power in Delhi, the Congress will implement the Prime Minister’s 15-point action plan, drafted under the UPA government to implement the Sachar Committee report for the welfare of minorities.

The measures would include enhanced educational opportunities, equal participation in financial and employment opportunities, and prevention of communal violence and social unrest, he said.

He said that the Congress, on winning the Delhi Assembly election, will revive the Punjabi Academy, fund a Punjabi Chair in JNU and strengthen the Delhi SC/ST, Minority and Handicapped Development Finance Corporation so that these communities can get the lowest interest rate loans to start a business.

The Congress leader said that the party’s government will fill vacancies of Urdu, Punjabi and Bhojpuri teachers on a priority basis, establish a university in the name of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur and set up a Jain Welfare Board, convene the Delhi Waqf Board and ensure timely payments to Imams and Muezzins.

Voting to pick a new 70-member Delhi Assembly will take place on February 5. The result will be declared on February 8. The Congress, which ruled the city for 15 years between 1998 and 2013, has failed to win even a single Assembly seat in the last two Assembly polls in 2015 and 2020.