Bihar Legislature Gears Up for Budget Session Starting February 10; Security Enhanced for Deputy CMs

Patna: The Bihar Legislature is set to convene its budget session from February 10, extending until March 1, according to a notification issued by the Parliamentary Affairs Department on Tuesday evening. The session will feature discussions on the motion of thanks regarding the Governor’s address on February 12, coinciding with the presentation of the Budget for the fiscal year 2024-25. However, the anticipated division of ministerial portfolios, slated for Tuesday, faced a delay.

Simultaneously, the Bihar government has escalated the security detail for both Deputy Chief Ministers, Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Sinha, who will now be under Z security cover. Information from sources at the CM Secretariat indicates that the security committee recommended the heightened security measures, and the Home Department is expected to issue an official notification soon.

The Nitish Kumar-led NDA government is currently in the throes of strategizing the division of ministerial responsibilities. A meeting between Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CMs Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Sinha, lasting over an hour, took place on Monday. HAM (S) patron and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, along with his son Santosh Manjhi, were present during the discussions.

Following the meeting with the CM, the core committee of the BJP convened in the presence of Deputy CMs Vijay Sinha and Samrat Chaudhary. Concurrently, CM Nitish continues to hold consultations with his core team. Despite expectations, the division of ministerial portfolios faced delays on Tuesday, prompting meetings between LJP national president Pashupati Kumar Paras and CM Nitish.

In the first cabinet meeting of the NDA on Monday, four agendas were approved, consisting of two parliamentary work items and two from the finance department. The delay in the division of ministerial portfolios reflects the intricate process of reshaping the government’s administrative structure in Bihar.