New Delhi: The Budget Session of Parliament will start on Monday, with restrictions in place in view of the Covid-19 pandemic situation. The first half of the session, which starts Monday, will conclude on February 8.

In view of Covid-19 related protocols, sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will be held alternately, and arrangements will be made for members to sit in galleries of both Houses to maintain social distancing.

From February 2 to February 11, the Rajya Sabha will sit from 10 am to 3 pm, and Lok Sabha is scheduled to sit from 4.00 pm. to 9.00 pm. Thus, five hours have been scheduled per Sitting instead of normal 6 hours during the First Part of the Budget Session. There will be 10 sitting in the first half of budget session.

The President will address both Houses of Parliament assembled together at 1 am on Monday. Half-an-hour after President’s Address, the Lok Sabha will sit for transaction of Business, and the Economic Survey 2021-22 will be laid by Union Finance Minister.

The Budget will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 at 11 am.

There will be two major items of Business during the First Part of the Budget Session – Discussion on Motion of Thanks on President’s Address and General Discussion on Budget. During 2020, 12 hours were allotted for Discussion on Motion of Thanks while the discussions took 15 hours and 21 minutes.

Similarly, during 2021, 10 hours were allotted for the discussion on Motion of Thanks, while it took 16 hours and 58 minutes, the Lok Sabha secretariat said. The second half of the session will start on March 13 and end on April 8. (UNI)

Srinagar: As ‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day long harshest period of winter, ends, the minimum temperature recorded a drop at most places in Kashmir Valley on Sunday.

A meteorological department official here said that Srinagar, the summer capital of the J&K recorded a low of minus 2.3°C against last night’s minus 1.0°C on the previous night.

While the ‘Chillai Kalan’, which started from December 21, ends, it is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.

Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 7.4°C against minus 7.5°C on the previous night, he said.

The temperature is 0.1°C above normal for this time of the year in the famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.2C against minus 3.1°C on the previous night, he said.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 2.8°C against minus 3.3°C on the previous night, the official said.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 7.0°C against minus 2.8°C on the last night, he said.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 2.4°C against 1.5°C on the previous night, the official said.

Jammu recorded a low of 6.6°C against previous night’s 6.9°C. The temperature was 2.1°C below normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.

Banihal recorded a low of minus 0.6°C, Katra had a minimum of 7.6°C while Bhaderwah recorded a low of minus 0.6°C, the official said.

Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 11.7°C against last night’s minus 14.6°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 17.6°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 21.7°C against last night’s minus 14.4°C, official said.  Weatherman has forecast cloudy weather in J&K.

“Currently, weather is partly to generally cloudy at most places of  J&K. There is possibility of light rain or snow on January 31-February 1 at scattered places and on Feb 3,” the official said. “Overall, weather likely to remain partly to generally cloudy next week starting tomorrow. There’s no forecast of any major weather till 1st week of February.” (GNS)