MP clears second supplementary budget

Amid main Opposition party Congress’ protest over big advertisement budget for the last 10 days of the financial year ending March 31, 2010, the state Assembly today cleared the second supplementary budget by a voice vote.

Congress MLA Ram Nivas Rawat protested over the demand of Rs 6 crore on advertisement budget for the rest of the month (only 10 days). He said the state government had proposed the supplementary budget to earn publicity through media as it was impossible for the government to use the budget to highlight its achievements.

The state public relation department has demanded a total of Rs 7.44 crore of the supplementary budget. Of this, Rs 2.50 crore is meant for advertisement and publicity and a similar amount for publicity through information and publicity.

“This should have been avoided as public money will go waste with only 10 days left for the financial year to end,” Rawat said. He also said the Comptroller and Auditor General of India had raised objections over misuse of funds.

“Your government spends 45 per cent of the annual budget in 11 months of the financial year and the rest is used in March,” Rawat pointed out.

Replying to these concerns, State Finance Minister Raghavji skipped a direct reply to the advertisement budget question, but said, “The state government is making prudence but whenever it is necessary in the interest of the poor and the common man, budgetary provisions are made.” Later, the budget was cleared through a voice vote.