Guillotine on May 2 on demands for grants

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 25. The guillotine will come down on May 2 on all Ministries whose demands for grants have not been discussed by the Lok Sabha by then, following which the Finance Bill will be taken up on May 3 with the voting on it scheduled for May 4.

Today the Business Advisory Committee of the Lok Sabha emphasised that voting on the Finance Bill must not be delayed beyond May 4 so as to enable the Rajya Sabha to approve the Union Budget by May 8. The last date by which the President must give his assent is May 14.

The Ministry of Communications was discussed by the Lok Sabha today and tomorrow the House will take up demands for rants of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The only other Ministry that will be discussed in detail is the Ministry of Human Resource Development on May 2.

By the time the Finance Bill will reach the Rajya Sabha it would have discussed in some detail the demands for grants relating to three Ministries - Health and Family Welfare, Defence and External Affairs.

Later this week, possibly on April 28, the Government may try to get the Design Bill approved by the Lok Sabha, if time permits. A Constitution Amendment Bill based on the Tenth Finance Commission, relating to devolution of funds to States, will also be taken up in the next seven or eight days.

A discussion on the Kargil report is also expected to be scheduled as soon as the important task of getting the Finance Bill through is over.

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Section  : National
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