UP Assembly passes suppl demands for grants amid oppn walkout

Uttar Pradesh Assembly today passed supplementary demands for grants totalling Rs 27,758.98 crore amid walkout by BSP, BJP and Congress members.
This includes revenue expenditure of Rs 14,206.52 crore and capital account of Rs 13,552.46 crore.
Under the supplementary grants, bonds of Rs 26,606 crore would be issued by the state government after taking permission of the Centre under 'Uday' scheme for financial reorganisation of power distribution companies.
The amount would be transferred to discoms to give grant, share and loan.
The amount of bond would be in addition to UP Budget Management Act 2004 as per the directives of the Centre.

An amount of Rs 904.52 crore is proposed against fund to be received from the National Calamity Relief Fund for drought.

After taking these amounts, there would be Rs 248.86 crore additional expenditure on the state government, which would be funded by reducing non-productive expenditures.
Leader of the Opposition and BSP leader Swami Prasad
Maurya cited statistics to stress that the government has not been able to adequately spend the existing budget and was seeking more funds.
"Barring the budget for milk development, sugarcane and cooperatives departments, the existing budget has not been adequately spent and in some departments up to 62 per cent budget money remained unspent.

"How will the government be able to spend additional over Rs 27,758 crore? ...This will lead to corruption, scams and result in misuse of money...This also proves lack of vision on the part of the government," he said.
Suresh Khanna (BJP) and Pradip Mathur (Cong) also said that government will get only 40 days to spend this amount.
Soon afterwards, members of these three main parties staged a walkout.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who tabled the supplementary grants, lashed out at the opposition saying it has been sought only for three main departments of Revenue, Cooperatives and Power which are directly connected with the people.

(REOPENS NRG12)
The supplementary grant was later tabled in the
Legislative Council which returned it by voice vote after which the House was adjourned for the day.
Earlier, BSP and Congress members staged a walkout after the Chair rejected their adjournment notice on law and order situation in the state.
Chairman Om Prakash Sharma, however, directed the government to take necessary action on the issue raised by the members.