Puducherry 2018-19 budget to be presented tomorrow

The budget presentation was slated for the first week of last month but had been delayed as the Centre’s clearance for the draft sent by UT government came only recently. Assembly Speaker V Vaithilingam has reconvened the House, which was adjourned sine-die on June 5 and the budget would be presented at 10 am by Narayanasamy, who holds the Finance portfolio, official sources said.

A Vote on Account was adopted earlier to meet the expenditure for the first four months (April to July) of the current fiscal.

As Puducherry is a Union Territory the draft budget prepared by the State Planning Board headed by the Lt Governor should be approved by the Union Home and Finance Ministries.

The Board in April had finalised the draft budget projecting a financial requirement of Rs 7,650 crores and this was forwarded to the Centre, which sought certain clarifications before giving its approval.

Meanwhile, AIADMK Legislature Party leader A Anbazhagan on Sunday said that Chief Minister Narayanasamy has lost the right to present the budget.

Talking to reporters Anbazhagan alleged that the administration has been paralyzed due to power struggle between the Lt Governor Kiran Bedi and Chief Minister.