Gujral To Discuss Supplementary Grants With President Today

President K R Narayanan could be delaying the dissolution of the House as it may be required to pass supplementary demands for grants. Caretaker Prime Minister I K Gujral and finance minister P Chidambaram will meet the President today to resolve the issue of obtaining Parliamentary sanction for the supplementary government expenditure incurred in the year.

One set of supplementary grants has already been cleared in August. A second one is required to ratify the additional expenditure incurred through implementation of the recommendations of the fifth Pay Commission. It is also required to regularise the oil bonds issued by the government in September and effect a re-ordering of the governments borrowing programme under different heads (no additional borrowing is envisaged). Todays discussion will focus on whether the supplementary budget should be ratified through a special session of Parliament or by way of Presidential ordinance.