Puducherry, March 30 (BPNS)

The Puducherry legislative assembly on Wednesday passed the vote on account for Rs 3613.66 crores to meet the expenditure of the government for the first five months, April to August 2022.

The Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Puducherry, N. Rangasamy who is also holding the finance portfolio presented the bill in the house. It was adopted by voice vote in the house. After passing the vote on account, the house was adjourned sine die.

The bill authorizes payment and appropriation of Rs 4385 crore which includes Rs 3613. 66 crore voted by the assembly and Rs 771.34 crore charged out of the consolidated fund of the Union Territory of Puducherry for the months of April, May, June, July, and August.

The assembly also passed a supplementary demand for a grant of Rs 606.27 crore for various departments for the year 2022-23. This includes 432.54 crores voted by the assembly and Rs 173.73 crores charged on the consolidated fund of the Puducherry government.

Meanwhile, the opposition parties led by DMK and Congress staged a walkout of the assembly in protest of not presenting a full-fledged budget. Opposition leader, R. Siva of the DMK led the protestors out of the house.

Immediately after the house assembled in the morning, both DMK and Congress members were on their feet shouting slogans against the government and raising placards. The opposition leader said that the vote on account was not acceptable and asked why the government was not presenting a full budget even after the allocation was meted during the Central budget.

Speaker, R. Selvam tried to pacify the members and said that the Chief Minister would respond to their queries but the opposition staged a walkout and the assembly was adjourned sine die.