Punjab Assembly passes Appropriation Bill for 2007-08

Chandigarh, June 27 (UNI) The Punjab Vidhan Sabha today passed by voice vote a sum of Rs 30,468.75 crore for the remaining nine months of the current fiscal after discussion on the Punjab Appropriation (No 2) Bill.

The sum is to be utilised out of the Consolidated Fund of the state towards defraying several charges, which may come in the course of payment to be made during the remaining part of the fiscal in respect of services and purpose.

The Appropriation Bill moved by Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal was passed by voice vote after a brief discussion in the House.

The newly constituted Vidhan Sabha had passed a vote on account for the first three months of the current fiscal after the SAD-BJP government took over in March this year.

Earlier, the House discussed and unanimously passed the budgetary demands relating to the fiscal estimates of different departments for the fiscal. The maximum allocation has been made for the agriculture, cooperation, health, education and irrigation sectors.

Replying to discussions on the fiscal allocations made to different departments, the Finance Minister sought to assure the members that care was taken of all the vital sectors. Regarding the tax structure in the state, the Minister told the House that Punjab was ''the lowest taxed state in the country''.

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