Jayakumar to present first budget

The Assembly will commence at 10.30 am, when Finance and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, who was entrusted with the key portfolio of Finance in a minor re-allocation of portfolios by the Chief Minister, will present his first ever budget. 

This will also be the first budget after the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and Jayakumar is expected to outline a number of measures and allocation of adequate funds for continuance of various schemes launched by her.

DMK Working President and Leader of the Opposition M K Stalin had earlier said that he would move a no-confidence motion action against the Speaker in the Assembly for conducting the floor test and had already submitted a petition in this regard to the Assembly Secretary. After the presentation of the budget, the Business Advisory Council would meet at the Speaker’s Chamber to decide on the duration of the session. 

Official sources said the House was expected to be adjourned after the Budget and would resume on Monday March 20, when the debate on the budget would be held. It is likely to last for a couple of days after which Jayakumar would reply to the debate before the Budget was passed. 

With the byelection to R K Nagar Assembly seat slated for April 12, it is not known whether the demand for grants for various departments would be taken up immediately after the passing of the budget or after the by-poll.