Himachal Pradesh Budget Session 2026: Revenue Deficit Grant Row Likely to Dominate Assembly Proceedings

The Budget session of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly is set to begin amid mounting political tension, with the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) issue poised to dominate proceedings.

Though the session has been scheduled for just three days, the recommendation of the Sixteenth Finance Commission to discontinue the RDG to Himachal Pradesh is expected to overshadow all other business and trigger a sharp confrontation between the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP.

Government to Push RDG Debate on Day One

The state government is likely to seek suspension of listed business to move a resolution under Rule 102 for an immediate discussion on the RDG issue. Notice for the same has already been submitted to the Vidhan Sabha Secretariat.

The session will commence with the Governor’s Address by Shiv Pratap Shukla, followed by obituary references. However, political observers anticipate heated exchanges once formal proceedings conclude.

The BJP is expected to demand that discussion first take place on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s Address, while the Congress government appears determined to prioritise the RDG debate. Question Hour and Zero Hour may be suspended if the treasury benches push their agenda.

Special Session Proposal Earlier Declined

The Congress government had earlier sought a special one-day session exclusively to deliberate on the RDG matter. However, the proposal was declined by the Governor, prompting the government to incorporate the issue into the Budget session instead.

Notably, no date has yet been announced for the presentation of the state Budget by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who also holds the Finance portfolio — an unusual development for a Budget session.

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