New Delhi, July 17:
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a Bill allowing the central government to withdraw Rs 98.18 lakh crore from the consolidated fund to meet its expenditure during 2019-20. The House approved the Appropriation (No. 2) Bill 2019, after the demands for grants for several ministries were collectively put to vote and passed by applying guillotine. The Bill, moved by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, was passed by a voice vote. The minister is scheduled to move the Finance Bill 2019, containing tax proposals of the government for the fiscal, for passage in the Lower House on Thursday. The budgetary exercise for 2019-20 will be completed with the passage of the Finance Bill by Parliament. After its passage in the Lok Sabha, it will go to the Rajya Sabha. The Lok Sabha has earlier discussed the demands for grants of different ministries including rural development, agriculture and farmers welfare, railways, youth affairs and sports, and road transport and highways. In view of the general elections, the government in February came out with an interim Budget seeking Parliament nod for meeting expenses for four months (April-July 2019-20). With the passage of the Appropriation bill No. 2, the government has sought the approval of the Lok Sabha for expenses for this entire financial year.
