Interim budget passed in Sikkim Assembly

The Sikkim Assembly Wednesday passed the interim budget of Rs 3566.29 crore for six months of the financial year 2019-20 and two bills.

The House was then adjourned sine die.

Sikkim goes to the Assembly poll along with the general elections later this year.

Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, who also holds the finance portfolio, had presented the interim budget for Rs 3566.29 crore on Monday, the first day of the two-day session.

Tuesday being a holiday in the Assembly, Speaker K N Rai put the interim budget and the two bills for voting by the members on Wednesday and they were passed by voice vote.

The two bills are the Sikkim Regulation of Transfer of Land (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Sikkim Prohibition of Beggary (Amendment) Bill, 2019.

The first bill seeks to insert two new sections in the Sikkim Regulation of Transfer of Land Act, 2005, to ensure protection of land belonging to members of the Limboo community.

The other bill that follows a Supreme Court order, proposes to amend The Sikkim Prohibition of Beggary Act, 2004, which casts stigma on people suffering from leprosy.

Two MLAs of opposition Sikkim Krantikari Morcha and an Independent member boycotted the proceedings alleging that the brief session deprived them of opportunity to put up questions before the state government.