In preparation for the upcoming Budget Session, the finance ministry has initiated the collection of expenditure proposals for the second and final batch of supplementary demands for grants from various ministries and departments. This step precedes the Budget Session, anticipated to commence in the last week of January, marking the final session of the 17th Lok Sabha before the general elections scheduled around April-May.
During this session, the Centre is set to seek expenditure approvals from Parliament for the four-month period until July 2024 through a vote-on-account. The finance ministry outlined in an office memorandum that the second batch of supplementary demands for grants for the fiscal year 2023-24 is intended to be presented before Parliament in the Budget Session.
Eligible cases for inclusion under these demands encompass instances where advances from the contingency fund have been sanctioned. Additionally, payments against court decrees will be incorporated, along with cases explicitly advised by the finance ministry to move supplementary demands in the Winter Session.
The directive emphasized that when processing proposals for supplementary grants, the grant controlling authority must consistently pinpoint savings within the grant. This approach aims to eliminate unnecessary or inflated supplementary demands, averting the need for surrender after obtaining the supplementary grant.
As per a December 29 memorandum, ministries are instructed to submit their supplementary proposals by January 8. The interim budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 is scheduled to be tabled on February 1.
The government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to streamline the Budget approval process for more effective fund utilization. Previously, the three-stage Parliament approval process concluded in mid-May when the Budget was presented at the end of February. The revised timeline is designed to expedite budgetary approvals and enable swifter project implementation.
With inputs from PTI
