U’khand budget in Parl on Monday

NEW DELHI, May 7:  Government will present Uttarakhand Budget for 2016-17 and table Uttarakhand Appropriation (Vote on Account) Bill, 2016 to replace an Ordinance on Monday when the last week of the current session begins amid raging political rows over imposition of President’s Rule in the hill State and AgustaWestland deal.
A high-decibel discussion on the Uttarakhand Budget is expected in the Lok Sabha on Monday as it has been listed in the business for the day.
After laying the Uttarakhand Budget for 2016-17 on the table in the Lok Sabha on Monday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will move a Motion for suspension of Rule 205 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the House to enable discussion on the same day.
Otherwise Rule 205 states that there shall be no discussion of the Budget on the day on which it is presented to the House and a subsequent day has to be fixed by the Speaker to take up the discussion.
Uttarakhand Budget will also be laid on the table of Rajya Sabha on Monday and the Upper House will take this up for consideration and returning to Lok Sabha later, an official statement said.
Government had promulgated the Uttarakhand Appropri-ation (Vote on Account) Ordinance, 2016 last month which authorised expenditure in the hill State as it had come under President’s rule because of the political crisis there.
Congress leader Harish Rawat, whose Government was ousted following imposition of President’s rule, will seek a vote of confidence on May 10 following a direction of the Supreme Court. The apex court was hearing the Centre’s petition challenging the revoking of President’s rule by the Uttarakhand High Court on Rawat’s plea.
There is not much legislative agenda for the last week of the session.
Lok Sabha will resume the inconclusive discussion on drought situation in the country besides taking up the Anti-Hijacking Bill, 2016 as passed by Rajya Sabha.
Rajya Sabha will take up the Appropriation (Railways) No.2 Bill, 2016, the Finance Bill,2016 and the Uttarakhand Appropriation Bill,2016 for returning the same to Lok Sabha.
The Indian Trusts (Amendment) Bill, 2015, earlier passed by the Lok Sabha has been listed for Monday in the Upper House.
Besides, a discussion on working of the Ministry of Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises is scheduled to take place there.
The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill,2012 and the Rajendra Central University Bill,2015 are on the legislative agenda of the Government, which are first to be taken up in Rajya Sabha and then in Lok Sabha.
Last week, both the Houses have held short duration discussion on the alleged irregularities in AgustaWestland Helicopters procurement further to the judgment of Court of Appeals of Milan, Italy.
During the first two weeks of the current Budget session, Lok Sabha has passed six Bills including the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2015, the Railways Appropriation and Finance Bill.
The Lower House also discussed the Demands for Grants of six Ministries—the development of North-Eastern Region, Skill Development and Entreprene-urship, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Social Justice and Empowerment, Civil Aviation and Tourism.
Tourism was added to the list of five Ministries initially identified for such discussion.
Rajya Sabha has so far passed seven bills including the Industries (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015 and discussed the working of the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare and HRD. The drought situation was also discussed. (PTI)