New Delhi, Nov.18 Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources, Pawan Kumar Bansal, said today that the Winter Session of Parliament would commence from Thursday and subject to exigencies of Government business, the session will conclude on December 21, 2009.

He told mediapersons here that the session will provide 23 sittings spread over 33 days.

He said the session will be devoted to essential government legislative and other business,including financial business relating to Supplementary Demands for Grants for the year 2009-10 in respect of Railway, General Budgets and State Budget in respect of Jharkhand.

Before making the announcement, Bansal held a meeting with Secretaries/Senior Officers of various Ministries/Departments on November 16. Ministers of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs co-chaired the meeting.

In all, 89 items were identified for discussion during the Winter Session of Parliament. (ANI)