Chandigarh (Haryana) [India]: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday announced that the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Haryana Assembly has finalized the schedule for the upcoming budget session. The session will run from March 7 to March 28, with the state’s annual budget set to be presented on March 17.
In a press conference following the BAC meeting, CM Saini stated, “The session of the Assembly will begin tomorrow with the Governor’s address. Right now, it will run till March 28, and if there is a need to extend it, it can be extended further in the BAC (Business Advisory Council) meeting; it has been discussed now… This is the first budget session of the government… This was also discussed in the BAC meeting today… The budget will be presented on March 17.”
The Chief Minister also mentioned that the government plans to introduce several important bills during the session.
Additionally, CM Saini took the opportunity to criticize Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over the ongoing farmers’ agitation in Punjab. He remarked, “Earlier, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann used to provoke the farmers. We used to ask him not to do so because we understand the pain of the farmers. I am also a farmer’s son, I know the hardship of farmer lives.”
Highlighting Haryana’s efforts to support farmers, Saini said, “We had earlier bought 14 crops on MSP and today we are buying 100% of crops on MSP… I had suggested to the Punjab government that you should go among the farmers and assure them… Why are they not buying the crops on MSP?… I would like to tell the Chief Minister of Punjab that you should work to strengthen the farmers, do not use lathi on them.”
Meanwhile, Haryana Minister Anil Vij emphasized the need for a new Assembly building, citing a potential increase in the number of MLAs to 120 in the near future. “It (Haryana Assembly Budget Session) will begin tomorrow and go on till March 28… There was also a discussion regarding the new Vidhan Sabha. We have identified a place, and now the CM will speak to the Chandigarh administration regarding the cost… Everyone has agreed that a new Vidhan Sabha is needed because the no. of MLAs will increase to 120 in the coming time and that many MLAs cannot be accommodated in the current Vidhan Sabha,” Vij told the media.
Haryana Minister Mahipal Dhanda also addressed the media, stating, “The budget session will go on till March 28. The budget will be tabled on March 17… The Leader of Opposition has not yet been chosen because they either don’t trust their MLAs or they don’t have anyone eligible.”
Earlier, CM Nayab Saini, who also holds the finance portfolio, participated in a two-day ‘pre-budget consultation’ meeting in Panchkula, which concluded on Tuesday. The meeting gathered all Ministers, MLAs, and Administrative Secretaries to discuss and provide insights for the upcoming state budget for the financial year 2025-26. According to an official statement, the meeting aimed to shape an inclusive budget that addresses the needs of all sections of society.