Pondy Assembly approves vote-on-account

Pondicherry, Feb 24 (UNI) The Pondicherry Assembly today passed the vote-on-account for Rs 1,213.31 crore for the first six months of the next financial year.

Presenting the interim budget in the Assembly, Chief Minister N Rangasamy, who also holds the finance portfolio, said the union territory achieved spectacular progress in soci-economic development despite drought, tsunami, cyclonic storms and unprecedented heavy rains on various occasions.

On the non-plan side, the allocation for the current year had been enhanced from Rs 1,128.20 crore in the budget estimate 2005-06 to Rs 1,261.09 crore.

In the revised estimate, the allocation for the year 2006-07 was fixed at Rs 1,261 crore. Thus, the total budget, including plan, non-plan and Centrally-sponsored schemes in the revised estimates for 2005-06 was placed at Rs 2,209.17 crore and in the budget estimate for 2006-07, was placed at Rs 2,686 crore.

Mr Rangasamy said he was not proposing any change to the existing tax and tariff structure. To ensure smooth operation of the administration till the regular budget was presented by the newly elected government, he recommended the Assembly to pass the vote-on- account.

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