LS passes Supplementary Demands for Grants

New Delhi, Oct 20 (UNI) Finance Minister P Chidambaram today introduced in the Lok Sabha the first batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2008-09 authorising the government gross additional expenditure of Rs 2,37,285.84 crore.

The demands were approved by the House.

The supplementary demands were moved by Mr Chidambaram after the Question Hour, when Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee asked various Ministers and members to lay on the table of the house items listed against their names.

Of this, the proposals involving net cash outgo aggregate to Rs 1,05,613.38 crore and gross additional expenditure, matched by savings of the Ministries and Departments or by enhanced receipts and recoveries aggregate to Rs 1,31,167.29 crore.

Besides, token provision of Rs 17 lakh was sought by the Finance Minister, one lakh for each item of expenditure, for re-appropriation of savings in cases involving 'New Services' and New Instruments of Service.' Mr Chidambaram sought approval of Rs 15,000 crore for crediting 'Farmers Debt Relief Fund' in the Public Account of India.

The Minister also sought Rs 10,500 crore for meeting the additional requirement under the 'National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.' UNI GS RL AS1525