The much-anticipated budget session of Legislative Assembly is likely to begin on August 10, according to sources in the Assembly secretariat.
The new government headed by Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy is taking all efforts to present a full budget, which would mark a break from the series of interim budgets (vote-on-account) presented by the previous regime led by the AINRC president N. Rangasamy.
Draft plan prepared“Proposals received from various departments were scrutinised and the draft annual plan was prepared and placed before the State Planning Board for discussion which finalised the outlay. The outlay that was recommended by the State Planning Board was submitted to MHA / NITI Aayog for approval,” said a top official.
The Chief Minister has already completed a series of meetings with stakeholder departments on their requirements last month. According to sources in the government, it may present a full-budget rather than an interim budget.
“Before the election, the NR Congress government presented an interim budget, which is valid up to September. This government has been gearing up to present full budget before mid-August”, another official said.
Meanwhile, the government has been going all out to put pressure on the Union government to bail out the Union Territory from an acute fiscal crisis.
Additional grant soughtThe government has sought an grant additional grant of Rs.1200 crore, over the proposed outlay of Rs.6,465 crore by the State Planning Board under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi. The board’s proposals, included in the draft annual plan for 2016-17, recommended an outlay of Rs. 2,465 crore under plan expenditure and Rs. 4,000 crore under non-plan expenditure.
The Cabinet approved the recommendation and sent the estimate through the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for approval from President of India.
Later, Chief Minister Mr. Narayanasamy took up the matter with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Mr. Narayanasamy stated that anticipating that Central government would consider the demand of UT positively and provide at least Rs.1,000 crore as additional grant as an interim support, taking into consideration the financial crunch that may be faced by UT in the coming years, the annual financial statement for 2016-17 had been prepared and sent to MHA for approval of the President.
The Chief Minister also sought the Union government’s approval to enhance the borrowing limit by Rs. 200 crore.
New Delhi visitThe Chief Minister is visiting New Delhi again this week to attend a high-level conference on the Goods and Service Tax (GST) to be held on July 26.
