Bengal Budget on March 16

Kolkata, Feb 25 (UNI) The month-long West Bengal Legislative Assembly budget session will begin on March 8 with Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi's inaugural speech.

The state budget proposals for 2007-08 will, however, be placed by state Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta on March 16 and the discussions on the budget would continue for the next three to four days.

Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker Hasim Abdul Halim has held an all party meeting with members of all parties in the House and sought their 'whole-hearted cooperation in upholding the dignity of the August House', to which all parties had agreed.

Incidentally, the dignity of the House was shattered during the final days of the last session when Trinamool Congress members went on rampaging the House furniture to lodge their protest against the state government's industrial policy, attracting sharp criticism from people.

A number of important bills, including one related to land acquisition, are also scheduled to be placed before the House during the session, which is likely to continue till the first week of April.

UNI