Longer Assembly session for debating demand for grants not needed: PTR

CHENNAI: Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan denied the accusation of the AIADMK that the DMK government has gone back on its promise to hold the Assembly session for 100 days a year.

Intervening in the debate on the Budget for 2023-24, he said that on average, the Assembly session was held for less than 35 days during the AIADMK regime between 2011-21 while it was 55 days during the DMK government in 2006-11.

He said that longer Budget sessions including the demand for grants for the departments do not make sense as 95 per cent of the fund allocation for all the departments was completed in the passing of the Finance Bill.

He said that when they analysed how other states hold their Assembly session, Tamil Nadu was the only state holding longer assembly sessions. "Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala do not hold budget sessions for more than 12 days," he said, adding that the Assembly session need not be held only for debating the demand for grants but also debating other issues and the bills.

Earlier, AIADMK legislator P Thangamani said that the DMK government promised to hold the Assembly session for 100 days but it only holds the Budget demand for grants for 21 days.