Date:16/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/16/stories/2008041660781200.htm

National

Finance Bill may be passed on April 28/29

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The passing of the Finance Bill in the Lok Sabha has now been scheduled for April 28/29 and the guillotine is to be applied on April 24 to the demands for grants of those ministries not discussed in detail.

This decision was taken at the Business Advisory Committee of the Lok Sabha on Tuesday afternoon, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi told reporters. Political party leaders had decided by consensus that budgets of at least four ministries — Home, Defence, Rural Development and Youth and Sports Affairs — would be discussed. If time permitted, the budget of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting would also be discussed. While some of these would be taken up in the Rajya Sabha, the others would be discussed in the Lok Sabha.

During the recess between the first and the second part of the Budget session the demands for grants had been discussed by the relevant standing committees attached to the ministries.

On the issue of price rise that had exercised members and led to an adjournment of both Houses, the Minister said that he hoped that a discussion on price rise would be initiated by Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI), in whose name a notice was given.

BJP deputy leader V.K. Malhotra will then speak, followed by a member of the Samajwadi Party and other party leaders. He said Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar will reply to the debate.

BJP demand

The government reiterated its position that it was willing to discuss anything permitted under the rules. However, it seems that it is not willing to concede the BJP demand that the discussion on price rise be taken up as an adjournment motion, which, under the rules, is voted upon.

Mr. Malhotra said a decision would be taken on the party’s tactics at its parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday morning.

The view in the BJP is that since the Left parties and those in the United National Progressive Alliance had decided to march to Parliament on the inflation issue, the party did not want them to get all the political mileage from an issue that is considered electorally hot.