Lok Sabha passes Supplementary Demands for Grants 2016-17

The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the second batch of supplementary Demands for Grants for fiscal 2016-17 by voice vote amid slogan-shouting by opposition members insisting that the debate on demonetisation should have taken place under a rule that entails voting.

The supplementary demand for grants for 2016-17 tabled by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday sought Parliament approval for additional expenditure of Rs 59,978.29 crore, including a net cash outgo of Rs 35,171.92 crore.

Thus, as much as Rs 24,805.34 crore of the planned expenditure will be met from savings of the ministries and departments or by enhanced receipts and recoveries.

The main heads of expenditure involving cash outgo were on funding assistance to various metro projects (Rs 3,700 crore), MGNREGS rural employment scheme (Rs 4,000 crore), equity investment in Air India (Rs 861.65 crore), transfer of Krishi Kalyan Cess to Krishi Kalyan Kosh (Rs 3,096.28 crore), transfer of Rs 2,000 crore to the Universal Service Obligation Fund and enhancement of paid-up capital of ECGC (Rs 100 crore).

Approval of the House was also sought for Rs 1,000 crore to meet additional expenditure of the Coast Guard towards acquisition of ships, aircraft, and land acquisition.

The Demand for Grants also include Rs 2,500 crore for the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, and Rs 210 crore for implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and its related project Saksham.

There will also be cash outgo towards Grants-in-Aid General under the Price Stabilisation Fund for procurement and import of pulses (Rs 1,988.39 crore), funding the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Rs 1,500 crore) and the Seventh Central Pay Commission (Rs 1,100 crore).

A sum of Rs 550 crore has been sought for meeting expenditure under grants-in-aid towards security-related expenditure of Jammu and Kashmir.

--IANS

bc/vd