New Delhi : Ahead of the Budget Session of Parliament beginning on Thursday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh noted that the session comes in the backdrop of a global economic slowdown.

“We are meeting against the background of a global economic slowdown. It is up to all of us to take credible action to ensure that we are least affected (by the slowdown),” Singh told reporters outside Parliament.

Expressing hope for a productive Budget Session, the PM said “the way we conduct financial business in Parliament will be a credible indicator of how prepared we are to tackle the economic crisis”.

Stressing the people want a constructive session of the House, Singh said he was looking forward to the cooperation of all sections of the House.

“We wish to engage productively and constructively with all sections of the House. We need to tackle considerable challenges that the nation faces today.”

The PM’s remarks come amid fears that the Budget Session will be stormy with the Opposition vowing to strongly raise issues like corruption and inflation even though the government expressed readiness to discuss all issues and order any kind of probe into the chopper scam.