Union Budget likely on March 19

Union Budget 2012-2013 is likely to be presented in Parliament on March 19, said sources in the government,.

The Budget session of Parliament is likely to start from March 12, the sources added.

The Economic Survey and the Railway Budget will be presented as usual, before the Union Budget.

The Budget is being delayed because of Assembly polls in five states -- Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand and Punjab.

The poll dates are spread between January 30 and March 3.

The results are likely to change the political balance for and against the government in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

It is expected that the results of Uttar Pradesh polls

are likely to give more space to the Budget makers, mainly Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to initiate economic reforms that are stalled because of various reasons.

The country is going to witness polls being conducted for 690 Assembly seats for which more than 13.77 crore (137.7 million) voters are being wooed by various parties.

It is believed that after the Uttar Pradesh election, Samjawadi Party will come to the rescue of the Central government to thwart off the pressure of its ally -- the Trinmool Congress.

The Congress leaders think that it makes sense for the government to delay the Budget to frustrate its dissenting ally's constant protests against United Progressive Alliance's economic reforms.