Though a short duration session, the third part of the 14th session of the Puducherry Legislative Assembly scheduled to be held on Thursday, February 22, 2024 to present a Vote-on-Account is likely to witness some fireworks between ruling benches of the National Democratic Alliance and Opposition led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
As per the press communique issued by Assembly Secretary J. Dayalane, the third part of the 14th session of the 15th Legislative Assembly will re-assemble around 9.45 a.m. on Thursday.
A government representative said proceedings of the house would start with obituary references and then move towards presentation of Vote-on-Account by Chief Minister N. Rangasamy.
Mr. Rangasamy would be presenting the expenditure statement for the first few months of the next financial year in his capacity as the Finance Minister, the representative added.
Speaker R. Selvam while announcing the date for the session reasoned that the government was prompted to present an interim budget as Parliamentary polls are in the offing. The house may also take up certain other Bills, pertaining to the departments of Agriculture, Women and Children and Industries.
Revised Estimate approval
The budget estimate for the current financial year has gone up from ₹ 11,600 to around ₹12,250 crore. The Chief Minister would also move a bill for the Revised Estimate of ₹12, 250 crore for 2023-24.
The Vote-on-Account, according to official sources, would be for the first five months of the next financial year.
“The amount to meet the expenditure for next five months would be worked out based on the R.E figure,” said an official.
It was after a gap of 12 years that, Mr. Rangasamy presented a full budget for 2023-24 in March last year.
The government representative said a full budget would be presented after the Lok Sabha elections .The Union Government has set aside around ₹3,300 crore for Puducherry under the head of Ministry of Home Affairs for the next financial year.
Opposition to raise issues of ‘non-performance’
The session coming ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, is expected to witness some fireworks with principal opposition DMK and its ally Congress planning to corner the government for its “non-performance and broken promises.”
“Even though it is going to be a short session, we will raise issues of non-performance of the government, provided there is time for discussion. Several promises given to voters including revival of textile mills, reopening of ration shops, non-payment of salary to workers of government run societies and other issues facing public. The Chief Minister is also silent on the Statehood issue,” said a DMK leader.
Published - February 20, 2024 02:19 pm IST
