LS approves Rs 11,698 cr additional expenditure

The Lok Sabha today approved the first batch of supplementary demands for grants envisaging a gross additional outgo of Rs 11,697.92 crore for the current fiscal.

The Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2018-19 and demands for excess grants for 2015-16, along with the appropriation bills, were passed by a voice vote, as opposition members, including those of the Congress and CPI(M), staged a walkout saying the government had not replied to their concerns over a scam in the Rafale fighter jet deal.

Responding to the five-hour debate, Finance Minister Piyush Goyal said "this government follows the kind of budget making where there is least deviation between the planned and actual estimates".

Citing an example, he said the first supplementary demands for grants showed that "this is the lowest ever in the last 15 years. It is just 0.2 per cent of the total budget compared to 14 per cent in 2008-09."
The government has brought down the fiscal deficit "that we got as a legacy" from 4.4 per cent to 3.3 per cent, he said, adding "this is an honest government which spends every penny honestly."
Expressing concern over pilots of Air India not getting salaries on time, he asked "what is government's turnaround plan of Airindia."
N K Premchandran (RSP) said the government should inform about the impact of passage of budget before March 31. Citing data related to CAD and inflation, he said the situation of economy was not good. "The rural economy is in shambles ... the economy is in serious trouble and is yet to come out of the impact of demonetisation."