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Prime Minister Narendra Modi address the media at Parliament House on the first first day of Budget session in New Delhi on Friday. (Photo | Shekhar Yadav/EPS)

Budget session should be focused on economic matters: PM Modi

He also said that the session should be focused on economic matters and how India can take advantage of the current global economic situation.

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Budget Session of Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said both the Houses should concentrate on debating economic issues and focus on how the global financial scenario can best benefit India.

Addressing the media before the start of the session, Modi said that he wanted a vast and qualitative discussion on financial issues in both the houses.

"We all should make sure that in this session, we lay a strong foundation for this decade. This session should be focussed mainly on economic issues," he said.

"Our government has emphasized the empowerment of Dalits, marginalised, oppressed, women, etc. We will continue to work for them in this decade also," he said.

He said that the discussions should focus on how India can benefit from global economic conditions.

"Our aim should be to improve our economic activity and to take maximum advantage of the global environment. I want there to be good debates on both the economy and the empowerment of people. I hope that the quality of discussions gets better day by day in both houses," he said.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her second Union Budget on Saturday.

The first phase of the session will conclude on February 11, while the second part of the session will begin from March 2 and will end on April 3.

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The first phase of the session will conclude on February 11, while the second part of the session will begin from March 2 and will end on April 3.

The Bharatiya Janata Party Executive Committee meeting will be held in Parliament Library at 2 pm, while the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting is expected in Parliament Library at 3:30 pm today.

An all-party meeting called by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi was held on Thursday in Parliament.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also attended the meeting along with other Union Ministers, namely, Rajnath Singh, Thawar Chand Gehlot, Arjun Meghwal, V Muraleedharan, and others.

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Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav was also present in the meet. BJD's Prasanna Acharya, NCP MP Supriya Sule, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, RJD leader Manoj Jha, and many other MPs were present in the meeting.

The Prime Minister said that the government was open for discussion on all issues during the Budget Session of Parliament and agreed with the demand of MPs that there should be a discussion on economic issues.

In his remarks at the all-party meeting on the eve of the Budget Session, he welcomed suggestions of most members that the session should focus on the prevailing economic situation in the country.

"Most of the members have asked for discussion on the economic situation concerning the country. I welcome this and we need to discuss the economic issues as suggested by you all," he said.

Modi urged members to see how the country can gain from the prevailing global economic scenario.

"We should focus on how we can turn the global scenario in favour of India. And in this Budget Session, and in the beginning of the New Year if we can give a proper direction to the country's economy, it would be in the best interest of the country," he said.

The Prime Minister also agreed with members on other important issues raised by them and said there should be an open discussion on all such issues.

"I agree with you all on the other important issues raised by you. And I would like to say that there should be an open discussion on all such issues," he said.

(With ANI and PTI Inputs)