Kerala budget session begins on March 2

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 1 (UNI) The budget session of the Kerala Assembly, beginning tomorrow, is likely to be stormy with the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) training its guns against the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government on issues ranging from inflation to the ADB loan.

The fourth session of the 12th Legislative Assembly will commence with the customary address by Governor R L Bhatia.

Budget for the financial year 2007-08 and the Vote on Account for the first four months of the next fiscal would be presented on March 9. The session would have 20 days' sitting, mostly devoted to financial matters. Some important pending Bills, numbering 23, would also come up for discussion in the House.

There would be a three-day discussion on the motion of thanks to the Governor's Address from March 5. Discussion and voting on final supplementary demands for grants in the budget for the year 2006-07 would be taken up on March 8.

The general discussion on the budget would be held for three days from March 12. The discussion and voting on Vote on Account would take place on March 19.

However, the UDF would lash out at the government for its alleged ''failure'' to check the price hike and also politically challenge the government's decision to take ADB loan for urban development.

The issue on Smart City project is also likely to be raised in the House.

UNI