WB Appropriation Bill 2024 passed : will allow the govt to withdraw funds from the Consolidated fund of the state

MP, 17 Feb 2024, Kolkata: The West Bengal Appropriation (No 1) Bill, 2024 was passed in the Assembly which will allow the Bengal government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated fund of the state to meet some expenditure incurred by the state during the financial year which was not mentioned in the budget. 

To ensure the smooth running of several social security schemes, the state government had to bear huge expenses outside the budget allotment. To maintain the check and balance the state government now has to withdraw the amount from the Consolidated fund of the state. 

For this the state government needs to pass a bill for appropriation of the amount. By the virtue of passing the West Bengal Appropriation (No 1) Bill, 2024, the state government will be able to appropriate funds from the Consolidated fund. 

In a bid to ensure that all the sections of the society can avail the social service schemes of the state government at the grassroot level, state government had incurred expenses the funds for which were not allotted in the budget. 

Hence, the state government required funds from the Consolidated funds of the state. The bill was passed in the Assembly that will allow the state government to withdraw supplementary grants of Rs 15261,87,70,000 from the Consolidated fund of West Bengal. 

The West Bengal Appropriation (No 2) Bill, 2024 was also passed in the Assembly. Finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said in the Assembly: “State government had proposed for approval of supplementary grants to meet the expenditure incurred by the state outside budgetary allocation. 

The purpose was to ensure that social services schemes reach each and every beneficiary. The passing of the bill will entitle the state to withdraw the supplementary grants. The Centre has not given us our dues but the social services schemes of the state were not interrupted.” 

The minister also told the House that the supplementary estimate has been reduced to 4.05 per cent from 12.2 in the past three years. “We had proposed for a supplementary grant of Rs 15261,87,70,000 for the appropriation of which the Bill was passed in the House. 

We abide by the constitutional obligations. We do not tend to say that we change our Constitution,” Bhattacharya hit out at the Centre. Calling this year’s budget historic, the Finance minister said that all sections of the society have been covered in the budget. 

“Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) increased 4 times since 2010-11. State’s revenues also increased by 10 per cent. State also realized Rs 900 crore from the settlement of disputes,” Bhattacharya said. 

Incidentally, the West Bengal Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was passed with an aim to increase the fiscal deficit up to 3.5 per cent in terms of GSDP from the earlier 3 per cent. 

As per the recommendation of 15th Finance Commission, the state is eligible to increase the loan capacity. The capacity of taking loans by the state will increase up to 3.5 per cent in respect of GSDP. The West Bengal Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2010 allowed the state to take loans up to 3 per cent in respect of its GSDP, Bhattacharya said. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/wb-appropriation-bill-2024-passed-552536