Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy will present the annual budget for 2024-25 on August 2, Speaker R. Selvam said on Thursday, July 25, 2024.
Announcing this to reporters, the Speaker said the Assembly would be re-convened on July 31 with the customary address of the Lieutenant Governor for the presentation of the budget.
Mr. Rangasamy, who also holds the Finance portfolio, will present the budget around 9.30 a.m. on August 2. The draft of the annual plan of ₹12, 700 crore prepared by the Puducherry’s Planning Board was given the approval by the Ministry of Home Affairs on July 23.
Though the Business Advisory Committee of the Assembly would decide on the duration of the session after presentation of the budget, the house is expected to be in session for around 12 days.
Speaker expresses displeasure
Mr. Selvam said the slow decision making process adopted by a section of officials has led to a situation where the government could not spend the budgeted amount for various departments in previous financial years.
Several departments could not utilise the entire amount sanctioned in the Budget in the previous financial years. Even grant-in aid allocations by the Union Government for drinking water projects and rural development have to be surrendered because of lack of cooperation by a section of officers, including previous Chief Secretaries, he said.
“The situation has changed in the recent months after the new Chief Secretary took charge of the administration. Even, the file for reopening of the ration shops has been cleared. In the coming days, we can see more decisions being taken because of the cooperation extended by the new Chief Secretary,” he said.
On the policy decision to construct a new Assembly complex, Mr. Selvam said the cost worked out for the complex was being re-examined. A decision would be soon taken on the construction of the Assembly, he said.
Under a Centrally-sponsored programme, the digitisation of Assembly proceedings would be taken up. Around ₹ 8.16 crore would be spent to make the Assembly proceedings paper-less, he said.
