Supplementary Demands tabled in Parliament

New Delhi, August 1 Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today sought Parliament's nod for additional spending of Rs 1.03 lakh crore, though the cash outgo will be only Rs 20,948 crore.

Through the Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2016-17 he presented in Lok Sabha, Jaitley sought Parliament's approval for transfer of Rs 5,000 crore towards National Employment Guarantee Fund and Rs 1,000 crore for providing funds to Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves for Sovereign Strategic Crude Oil Reserve at Vizag, Mangalore and Pudur.

The government has also sought Rs 5,000 crore towards Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNGREGA). The Demands for Grants includes 51 Grants and one appropriation.

"Approval of Parliament is sought to authorise gross additional expenditure of Rs 1,03,013.74 crore. Of this, the proposals involving net cash outgo aggregate to Rs 20,948.26 crore and gross additional expenditure, matched by savings... aggregates to Rs 82,064.8 crore," the document tabled in Lok Sabha said.

The government has sought approval for transferring Rs 1,000 crore to Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) and providing Rs 1,000 crore as compensation from USOF to telecom service providers for various telecom services in the rural and remote areas.

Jaitley also sought approval for additional assistance of Rs 2,000 crore to states affected by natural calamities like hailstorm and unseasonal rain under National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

The first batch of Demands for Grants also include Rs 40,000 crore as Ways and Means Advance to Food Corporation of India to meet the working capital requirements towards procurement of food grains for targeted Public Distribution System.

Government is also seeking Parliament's approval for providing Rs 31,957 crore to Ministry of Raod Transport and Highways under various heads.

The Supplementary Demands for Grants also include Rs 2,801 crore for providing additional grants through Direct Benefit Transfer under post matric scholorship for SCs and Dr Ambedkar Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for Economically Backward Class.

PTI