State budget to be produced on March 15 by O Panneerselvam 

CHENNAI: Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, who is also holding the finance portfolio, will present the State budget for 2018-19 on March 15. Assembly Secretary K Srinivasan said the budget presentation would take place at 10.30 am on that day.

Panneerselvam had presented the revised budget for 2016-17 on July 21, 2016. After the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, the party split into two and Panneerselvam resigned as Chief Minister. So budget 2017-18 was presented by the then Finance Minister D Jayakumar on March 16 last. After the merger of two factions of the AIADMK, the finance portfolio was given to O Panneerselvam.

Though there are expectations, the budget session could be a brief one and the demands for grants for various departments could be taken up after some time. Official sources said the budget session was likely to continue till May.  The business advisory committee of the State Assembly will decide on the session’s duration on March 15.

There are high expectations that the budget would be tax-free and that many new welfare schemes would be announced since the local body elections are round-the-corner. In the budget for 2017-18, the revenue deficit had gone up.  

Meanwhile, the opposition parties are ready to rake up many issues, including the formation of the Cauvery Management Board that is getting delayed.