Puducherry Assembly to meet on February 22 to present vote on account

Puducherry Legislative Assembly to convene on February 22, 2024, to present vote on account for 2024-25.

The Puducherry Legislative Assembly will convene on February 22, 2024, to present a vote on account for the financial year 2024-25, Speaker R. Selvam said on Thursday, February 15.

Addressing a press conference, the Speaker said the Assembly would convene at 9. 45 a.m. on February 22. Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, who holds the Finance portfolio, will present the vote on account. 

The Revised Estimate for the current year would also be presented after moving the vote on account. Departments have been asked to prepare estimates for expenditure sanction. The other agenda for the session would be decided by the Business Advisory Committee, he said.

“’There is no justification for the criticism on presenting a vote on account as even States have relied on votes on accounts to meet expenditure requirements for the first few months of the next fiscal. A full budget will be presented after the Lok Sabha elections,”’ he said.

As for spending during the current fiscal, the Speaker said around 75% of the allotted funds have been utilised. The Chief Minister has directed officials to speed up civil work to achieve maximum fund utilisation before the end of this fiscal, he added.

Mr Selvam said the Assembly Secretariat has completed the procedure of getting administrative approval to construct the new Assembly Complex cum Administrative building.

“From our [Assembly Secretariat] side, we have completed the work. We have forwarded the file to the Raj Nivas five months ago. The clearance has to come from Raj Nivas,” he said.