LS passes Rs 45L cr Budget 2023-24 without debate

March 23, 2023 19:36

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Lok Sabha on Thursday approved the Union Budget envisaging an expenditure of around Rs 45 lakh crore for the fiscal year starting April 1 without any discussion, as the Opposition continued to create ruckus over demand for a JPC probe into allegations against the Adani Group.

The Lower House of Parliament took up the Demands for Grants and Appropriation Bills after two adjournments as the ruling and Opposition MPs engaged in a matching duet over demands for an apology by Rahul Gandhi and the Adani issue.

Most of the second leg of the Budget Session has been washed out due to the protest by both sides and it was one of the rare occasions when the Budget was passed without any discussion.

Soon after the Lok Sabha reassembled at 6 pm after two adjournments, Speaker Om Birla put the Opposition's cut motion or amendments to the government spending plan to vote which was rejected by voice vote.

This was followed by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharman moving the demands for grants for 2023-24 and relevant Appropriation Bills for discussion and voting.

Birla applied guillotine and put demands for grants of all ministries for voting.

The demands were passed as the Opposition MPs trooped into the Well of the House shouting slogans.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present during the passage of Budget for 2023-24.

The entire exercise was over in 12 minutes completing two-third of the parliamentary approval for the Budget for 2023-24.

The Finance Bill 2023, which contains tax proposals that Sitharaman had moved while presenting the Budget on February 1, will now be taken up by the Lok Sabha possibly on Friday.

All the budget-related bills will be transmitted to Rajya Sabha, which cannot make any changes but only return them to the Lok Sabha after discussion as they are classified as 'money bills' requiring approval of the Lower House only.

The current Parliament session is scheduled to end on April 6.

There is speculation that the duration of the session may be curtailed after completion of the budgetary exercise. -- PTI

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