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Vote on Account Bill passed

PUDUCHERRY: A day after the Puducherry government presented the budget for 2008-2009, the Vote on Account Bill for four months starting with April was passed in the Legislative Assembly on Friday.

Chief Minister N. Rangasamy presented the statement of estimates of supplementary expenditure for 2007-2008 after which two Bills, the Appropriation Bill, 2008 and the Appropriation (Vote on Account) Bill 2008, were passed.

Speaker R. Radhakrishnan said the Business Advisory Committee had met on March 24 and finalised the schedule of the Budget Session of the Assembly.

Shortly after the Chief Minister presented the statement showing the estimates of the supplementary expenditure for 2007-2008 to the tune of Rs. 186 crore, leader of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam legislature party A. Anbalagan said the government should have placed the statement during the previous sessions of the Assembly held during November 2007 and January 2008.

It was wrong on the part of the government to seek approval of the House after spending the funds on various schemes, he added. He justified his stand on the ground that some Ministers had made remarks on “irregularities” in various schemes.

Intervening in the discussions, Mr. Rangasamy said the funds were utilised for the welfare of the people. Even as Mr. Anbalagan reiterated his charges, Welfare Minister M. Kandasamy said the funds went for various schemes.

Mr. Anbalagan called for “corrective measures” to prevent such recurrences in future. Agriculture Minister V. Vaithilingam said the members should not level baseless charges.

Leader of Puducherry Munnetra Congress in the Assembly K. Lakshminarayanan demanded a detailed discussion on issues as several welfare schemes remained incomplete and had not reached the people.

To this, the Speaker explained that the entire process of preparing the statement on supplementary expenditure was completed in February and the government had to present it in the current session, after getting the Union Home Ministry’s clearance.

On unexpected expenditures, Mr. Vaithilingam said the Electricity Department required around Rs. 32 crore as the suppliers increased the tariff. “The government has got the sanction only 10 days ago and the funds have not yet been released,” he said.

For the revised estimates in the Public Works Department and other departments, Mr. Lakshminarayanan said the government should make it clear why it required additional funds.

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