Gujarat Assembly clears supplementary demands for grants worth Rs 7,500 cr

The Gujarat Assembly on Thursday approved supplementary demands for grants worth over Rs 7,500 crore which were incurred as additional expenditure during the financial year of 2023-24.

Tabling the demands, Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai said additional funds were allocated beyond budgetary provisions to carry out pro-people work like building houses for tribals and lay new roads as well repair existing ones under the Mukhya Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana'.

The minister said it is the government's resolve to provide houses to everyone. The government had initially allocated Rs 163 crore to build houses for tribals under the 'Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana', he said.

But, to cover the maximum number of beneficiaries, we had allocated an additional budget of Rs 821 crore. We have also increased scholarships for tribal students, which led to extra expenditure, said Desai.
 

In all, the finance minister sought permission of the House for an additional expenditure of over Rs 7,500 crore spent by various departments, including Roads and Buildings, Education, Food and Civil Supplies, Ports and Transport, and Tribal Development.

The BJP-dominated House rejected the cut motions moved by the opposition Congress and approved the supplementary demands for grants through a majority vote. Cut motions are moved to oppose a demand being discussed for specific allocation by the government as part of demands for grants.

The budget session of the Assembly began on February 1, while a Rs 3.32 lakh crore budget for the financial year 2024-25 was tabled by Desai on February 2.