Mukherjee to hold pre-budget consultations with Congress leaders

New Delhi, Feb 15 (ANI): Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will hold consultations with senior Congress leaders at the AICC headquarters here on Tuesday to chalk out the party's strategy ahead of the 'Budget Session' of Parliament, which will begin on February 21.

According to reports, Mukherjee will be seeking suggestions from Congress leaders on measures to be included in the Budget Session, which will be presented to the Lok Sabha on February 28.

Earlier on January 19, the Finance Minister held a meeting with Finance Ministers of different States and Union Territories to get their inputs for General Budget 2011-12.

During the meeting, Mukherjee asked the Finance Ministers to play their part effectively in controlling inflation. This was the seventh such meeting in the series of pre-Budget consultations held by Finance Minister with the stakeholders of different sectors.

He held his first meeting on January 7 with the stakeholders of agriculture sector followed by meetings with captains of Indian industry on January 11.

Mukherjee met with the representatives of different trade unions on January 12, with different NGOs on January 14, with noted economists on January 17 and with banking and financial institutions on January 18.

According to experts, the assembly polls in five states including West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Puduchery this year, rising prices particularly of food items and vegetables, has been a worrying factor for the party. (ANI)