Bihar Assembly's 5-day monsoon session begins today; supplementary budget, key bills on agenda
Patna, July 20
The five-day monsoon session of the Bihar Legislative Assembly will commence on Monday and continue until July 24. Despite its short duration, the session is expected to witness important legislative business, including the presentation of the first supplementary budget for the 2026-27 financial year and the introduction of several key bills.
At the same time, the opposition has prepared an aggressive strategy to corner the government on a range of public issues.
The session will begin with an address by the Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, followed by the presentation of the first supplementary budget for 2026-27 and an obituary reference.
The supplementary budget is expected to be significantly larger than last year's, as the government seeks additional funds to implement major welfare announcements, including 125 units of free electricity, an enhanced social security pension, and the release of the second instalment of employment assistance for women.
According to the government, all preparations for the session have been completed.
Several important bills related to different departments, including the health sector, are scheduled to be introduced.
The ruling alliance has asserted that it is fully prepared to answer every question raised by the opposition and maintains that it has effectively addressed public concerns.
Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar held meetings with representatives of all political parties, urging them to ensure the smooth functioning of the House.
Security has been tightened across the Assembly premises ahead of the session.
Comprehensive security measures, including CCTV surveillance, dog squads, and bomb disposal teams, have been deployed after a thorough inspection of the Assembly complex.
Meanwhile, the opposition, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), is gearing up to challenge the government on several contentious issues.
These include the decision to empower panchayats to levy rural taxes, the imposition of tolls on state highways, alleged fake police encounters, delays in teacher recruitment, and the pending disbursement of employment assistance promised to women.
RJD spokesperson Ejaz Ahmed said the opposition would demand answers from the government on policies that allegedly increase the financial burden on the public, particularly the proposed taxation in rural areas.
He also stated that the government would be questioned over alleged fake encounters, the status of teacher recruitment, and the delay in releasing employment assistance promised to women during the elections.
As per the legislative schedule, Question Hour, Calling Attention motions, and other government business will be taken up on July 21 and 22.
On July 23, the House will discuss the supplementary budget before taking up the Appropriation Bill, while the session will conclude on July 24 with discussions on private members' resolutions following Question Hour.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The opposition has valid points about rural taxes and tolls. Itna tax toh already hai, aur ab panchayats bhi tax lenge? Common aadmi ko toh kuch bachta nahi hai. Let's see what answers they get from the government. 🤔
Finally some action on the employment assistance for women - the second instalment has been pending for months. Many families were counting on that money. Hope the supplementary budget allocates enough funds for it.
Teacher recruitment delay is a serious issue. Bacchon ka future damage ho raha hai. I appreciate the opposition raising it, but let's see if they actually push for concrete action or just give speeches. Bihar needs quality education first.
Security arrangements look thorough - CCTV, dog squads, bomb disposal teams. At least they're taking safety seriously. But I hope the actual debates are equally serious and not just drawn-out shouting matches like we usually see in Bihar assembly. 🤷♀️
The fake encounter issue is a serious matter that needs proper investigation. Police encounters should always be transparent - otherwise it's just state-sponsored violence. I want to see if the government gives a satisfactory response or tries to brush it under the carpet.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.