Dehradun, Mar 29 (PTI) A vote-on-account of over Rs 21,000 crore was tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday amid criticism by opposition Congress members who contended citing the rules of business that it could not be laid without a discussion in the House on the Governor’s address.
The vote-on-account tabled by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is for an amount of Rs 21,116.81 crore. It makes a provision of Rs 16,007.63 crore under revenue expenditure and Rs 5,109.18 crore under capital expenditure.
An allocation of Rs 3,715 crore has been made for centrally-funded projects, Rs 593 crore for externally aided projects and Rs 270 crore for projects under NABARD.
Shortly before Dhami tabled the vote-on-account in the House, Congress MLA from Chakrata Pritam Singh rose from his seat and sought the protection of the Chair saying as per the rules of House business the vote-on-account could not be tabled without a discussion in the House on the Governor’s address.
His view was endorsed by Congress MLA from Bajpur Yashpal Arya. However, Cabinet Minister Prem Chand Aggarwal said the proceedings of the House for Tuesday had been scheduled after the approval of the assembly’s business advisory committee and therefore, the opposition by Congress members to the tabling of the vote-on-account was not justified.
Not satisfied with the explanation offered by Aggarwal, opposition MLAs insisted it was in violation of the rules. However, the Chief Minister tabled the vote-on-account amid their mild protest and the proceedings of the House were immediately adjourned for the day.
Later talking to reporters outside the Assembly, Pritam Singh said on the very first day of the opening session of the fifth Assembly the state government had murdered democracy by misusing its numerical strength to play with the rules.
However, BJP MLA from Vikasnagar Munna Singh Chauhan accused the opposition members of trying to obstruct the tabling of the vote-on-account.
On the opposition’s contention that the vote-on-account could not be tabled without a discussion in the House on the Governor’s address, he said once the House has endorsed the recommendation of the business advisory committee on the schedule for the House’s business of the day the point raised by opposition members had no meaning.
“The House is the master of its own business,” Chauhan told reporters. PTI ALM MR MR
