Budget Session Of Odisha Assembly: Covid-19 Test Not Mandatory For MLAs & Others, Says Speaker

Bhubaneswar: In a major decision ahead of commencement of the budget session, the Odisha government on Tuesday announced that COVID-19 test will not be mandatory for the MLAs and others.

Informing this, Odisha Assembly Speaker SN Patro said, “COVID-19 restrictions have not been lifted but relaxed. All the existing social distancing norms and other protocols will be duly followed.”

According to Patro, COVID-19 test will not be mandatory but all will be screened at the entrance. “Any person showing symptoms of cold and other illness will have to undergo antigen test while other necessary protocols will be strictly followed.”

The budget session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly will commence on February 18 and continue till April 9, 2021. The annual budget for 2021-22 will be tabled by State Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari on February 22.

Official sources said adequate gap will be maintained among the seats of MLAs and others inside the Assembly.

The MLAs will have the option to attend the budget session through video conferencing from their respective offices, said Patro.

The Question Hour session, which was cancelled in the last two session of the Legislative Assembly due to COVID-19 pandemic situation, will be held in the upcoming budget session.

As per a notification issued on Monday, the budget session this year, which will begin with the Governor Ganeshi Lal’s address on February 18th, will have 31 working days.

Following the presentation of the budget for this year, the Bills and Resolutions will be presented on February 24, April 5, 7 and 9. The Appropriation Bill on the Budget for 2021-22 would be presented on March 31, the notification said.

(Edited By Ramakant Biswas)