Cabinet to meet today; interim budget plan likely on agenda

To discuss the first session of Tamil Nadu Assembly this year, state Cabinet, to be chaired by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, is set to meet at 4.30 pm on Friday.

“As the Assembly session is scheduled to commence on February 2, Opposition parties are expected to raise several ongoing issues and so to discuss the issues, the Cabinet will meet on Friday evening. As the interim budget had to be presented before the announcement of Assembly election dates, the interim budget will also be discussed in the meeting,” said sources at the Secretariat.

The first session of Assembly this year will commence with the address of Governor Banwarilal Purohit on February 2 followed by business advisory meeting on the same day to decide the number of days of Assembly session. Then in the following days, there will be debate on Governor’s address and in the final day, Chief Minister will present a comprehensive reply for all the questions and allegations of the opposition parties. At a time when the state government had supported the three legislation on farmers’ issue, Opposition parties are expected to raise the issue of ongoing farmers protest and the issue of corruption by Ministers as DMK has recently submitted a 97-page document on the corruption list of Ministers to the Governor.

Sources also said that the state government is planning to submit an interim budget by the end of February as there are chances for dates for Assembly polls to be announced by the March first week.