Indian Parliament's 18-day Monsoon session begins today 

The session will be held for 18 days this time.

"The fourth session of  17th Lok Sabha and 252nd Session of Rajya Sabha is scheduledto be held on Monday, 14th September, 2020 and subject to exigencies of Government Business, may conclude on Thursday, 1st October, 2020," read a government statement.

Apart from the listed agenda of bills, a record plunge in the economy, marked by the first contraction in four decades, Chinese aggression at the border and the Covid-19 crisis are expected to be discussed in Parliament in this period of 18 days.

"The Session will provide a total of 18 sittings spread over a period of 18 days (all the days including Saturdays and Sundays of the ensuing session will be working days)," read the statement.

A total of 47 items have been identified for being taken up during the Monsoon Session, 2020 which includes 45 bills and 2 financial items.

This will be the first Parliament session being held amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Therefore all safety measures have been taken to conduct the session as per guidelines issued for Covid-19, rea the government statement.   

There will be a four-hour session for each House each day (9 am to 1 pm for Rajya Sabha and 3 pm to 7 pm for Lok Sabha. 

"But on the first day only i.e. on 14th September of the Lok Sabha will meet in the morning session," read the statement.

The session will see other  measures like  seating MPs in a staggered way in chambers of both Houses, as well as galleries to maintain physical distancing norms, introduction of mobile app for registering of MPs’ attendance and seats separated with poly-carbon sheets in the House.