Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 15: In a bid to rush through the budget to get nod of the Legislature for it before imposition of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by the Election Commission of India for general elections, the grants of several Departments have been clubbed and at least five to six Ministers would seek approval of their grants in the Assembly in a single day beginning February 18 and lasting five days.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is the only Minister, who has been given full day of February 22 for debate and reply on the grants of his Departments.
Official sources told the Excelsior that “rush through calendar” for Voting on the Demands for Grants of 2014-15 issued today by the Legislative Assembly was necessitated as the Government wanted to pass the budget on February 23 anticipating that the Election Commission of India could impose Model Code of Conduct for Lok Sabha elections any time in the last week of February or start of March.
The Government can’t pass the budget after imposition of Model Code of Conduct as the budget falls under the category of Allurements, sources said, adding if the budget was not passed before imposition of Code, the Finance Minister would have to take Vote-on-Account from the House.
The Government sources were, however, confident that the Model Code of Conduct wouldn’t be imposed before February 23 when the budget has been listed for passage in the Legislative Assembly.
Sources admitted that this was probably for the first time in past several years that the Assembly was having such a tight schedule with grants of five Ministers scheduled to be discussed and passed (after replies by the Ministers) in a single day. The grants of all Ministers including the Chief Minister would be passed in just five days i.e. from February 18 to February 22. The grants of Health Minister Shabir Khan, who had resigned recently following charges of sexual harassment, have been clubbed with Medical Education Minister Taj Mohi-ud-Din.
According to the Assembly calendar, the grants of Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs Abdul Rahim Rather, which included Public Enterprises (held by Congress leader Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed) and Planning and Development, Labour and Employment Minister Ajay Sadhotra have been listed for passing in first sitting on Tuesday.
The passing included debate on all the Departments held by the Ministers followed by their replied.
In second sitting on the same day, the Assembly is scheduled to take up the grants of Urban Development Minister Rigzin Jora, R&B and Mechanical Engineer Minister Abdul Mujeed Wani and Minister for Industries and Commerce Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo.
“This means the budget of six Ministers would be debated and passed in just one day on February 18,” sources said.
Almost similar is the heavily loaded agenda in the Assembly on February 19 when grants of Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir and Minister for Animal and Sheep Husbandry Nazir Gurezi have been listed for passing in first sitting while in the second sitting the grants of Tourism Minister GA Mir, Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Mian Altaf and Minister for Fisheries Dr Manohar Lal Sharma were scheduled to be discussed and passed.
On February 20, the Assembly would debate and pass the grants of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saifullah Mir and Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Aijaz Khan in the first sitting and Deputy Chief Minister (Incharge Education) Tara Chand, Minister for Higher Education Mohammad Akbar Lone and Social Welfare, ARI & Training and Public Grievances Minister Sakina Itoo in the second sitting.
The grants of Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar and Minister for CAPD and Transport Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan would be debated and passed during first sitting on February 21. In the second sitting of the same day, the grants of PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Sham Lal Sharma and Minister for Health and Medical Education Taj Mohi-ud-Din have been listed for discussion and passing.
February 22 (both sittings) have been reserved for Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s grants and reply. The major departments held by Omar include Home, GAD, Power, Information, Science and Technology, Hospitality and Protocol and Estates etc.
The budget would be passed on February 23.
This is also for the first time in past several years that the Legislative Assembly would also meet on Sunday tomorrow as well another Sunday falling on February 23.
Government sources said they have been left with no option but to club the grants of four to five Ministers in a day to ensure early passage of the budget as Model Code of Conduct could come into force anytime in the last week of February, which would block passage of budget and force the Government to go for Vote-on-Account.
Worthwhile to mention that right from the day one of Legislature working after the Governor’s Address, the Assembly has been working in two sittings.
Former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad during his regime in the State had introduced the practice of debating selected Departments on the pattern of Parliament. However, the practices was given go by after his exit.
Sources wondered that how much time a MLA would get to debate grants of three Ministers in a single sitting especially when all three Ministers had to reply to the discussion before their budget is passed by the Legislature.
Follow our WhatsApp channel