By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 29 Mar: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today tabled the Vote on Account seeking Rs 21,117 crores for the first four months of the financial year, 2022-23. As the portfolios have not yet been allocated to the ministers, the CM holds charge of all the departments except Parliamentary Affairs, the charge of which has been given to Prem Chand Aggarwal. Therefore, the CM himself tabled the Vote on Account. However, when he was about to present the Vote on Account Bill in the House, senior Congress member Pritam Singh objected and raised a point of order. He cited the rules and claimed that till there was a discussion on the Governor’s Address to the House, the Vote on Account should not be allowed. Senior Congress member Yashpal Arya, too, backed him on this. To this, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prem Chand Aggarwal pointed out that the Opposition was fully aware of the agenda of the day’s proceedings of the House and had not objected to the proposals that were approved by the Business Advisory Committee. To this, Pritam Singh claimed that rules were rules and the traditions and the rules ought to be followed strictly and that rules took precedence over what was approved by the Business Advisory Committee.
Speaker Ritu Khanduri pointed out that the Vote on Account was already being made available to the members and urged the Opposition members to allow its presentation, even as the Congress members kept on insisting that discussion on the Governor’s Address be held first in accordance with the rules and the traditions of the House.
However, the Speaker overruled the objection and the CM stated in one line that he had tabled the Vote on Account. The House was the adjourned till 11 a.m. tomorrow.
The Vote on Account is based on budget estimates for the financial year 2022-23, which has been estimated at Rs 62,468 crores and, therefore, Rs 21,117 crores have been sought for the next four months.
The total expenditure of Rs 21,116.81 crores has been estimated, under which the revenue expenditure has been estimated at Rs 16,007.63 crores and Rs 5,109.18 crores under Capital Expenses. Most of the heads of expenditure sought to be proposed under the Vote on Account are related to committed heads such as salaries and wages, central schemes and projects.
Some of the central schemes included are Integrated Education, Jal Jivan Mission, PMGSY, ICDS, NRHM, PM Housing Scheme Rural, MNREGA, Smart City, Midday Meals, Swachh Bharat Mission, PM Housing Scheme Urban, Horticulture Mission, Skills Development Scheme and Central Roads Fund. The State Schemes have been provisioned for next four months at Rs 16,539 crores and salaries at Rs 5,796 crores and pensions at Rs 2229 crores.
Interest payment provisioned is Rs 2275 crores, while the capital outlay is provisioned at Rs 2256 crores. Amount provisioned for social security pensions is Rs 476 crores and loan payment at Rs 1563 crores.
