New Delhi: The Lok Sabha Wednesday voted demands for grants of various ministries to the tune of over Rs 60 lakh crore without any discussion after applying guillotine on the debate.
Sharp at 6 PM, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan called an end to the discussion on the demands for grants after Health Minister J P Nadda replied to the deabte on his ministry's demands. She then put all the other demands to vote of the House.
The House rejected all the cut motions and approved the demands by a voice vote. It also passed the Appropriation Bill authorising government to withdraw Rs 62.03 lakh crore from the Consolidated Fund to meet its expenditure during 2015-16, thus completing the second phase of the budgetary exercise.
The Bill, moved by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, was passed by a voice vote.
Jaitley is scheduled to move the Finance Bill 2015, containing tax proposals of the government for the fiscal, for passage in the Lower House tomorrow.
The budgetary exercise for 2015-16 will be completed with the passage of the Finance Bill by Parliament. After Lok Sabha, it will go to Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha discussed the demands for grants of ministries of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Health and Family Welfare, Environment, Chemicals and Fertilizer, HRD and Home Affairs.
The first phase of the budgetary process was completed after Parliament passed the vote-on-account in March.
The Budget was presented on February 28.
Only the demands for grants of six ministries including Home, HRD and Environment to the tune of a few lakh crore were discussed on the floor of the House the guillotine was applied.
In a fax paus of sorts, the Speaker was about to adjourn the Lok Sabha even before the passage of the Appropriation Bill .
"The House stands adjourned ....," she declared, but was quick to realise that something was amiss as her aide told her that some official business was yet to be over and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was getting ready to introduce the Bill.
Mahajan promptly said "Sorry" and added that sometimes such things do happen amid confusion.
