PUDUCHERRY: The budget session of the Legislative Assembly will begin from September 8 for the current fiscal year 2014-2015 with the customary address by the Lieutenant Governor on the same day at 9.30 a.m.
Subsequently, the budget for the current year will be presented by Chief Minister N Rangasamy during the session.
The vote on accounts for `2,550 crore to meet the expenditure for the first six months of the financial year 2014-15 (from April 1 to September 30) have been passed by the Assembly on March 12. A budgetary expenditure of `6,100 crores that include `2400 crores plan outlay and `3,700 crores non-plan outlay has been proposed by the State Planning Board that met under the Chairmanship of the Lieutenant Governor on July 21.
The number of days of the budget session to be conducted would be determined by the Business Advisory Committee of the Legislative Committee which would meet under the Chairmanship of Speaker of Legislative Assembly on September 8, said Secretary, Assembly S Mohandass. Previously, budget sessions have been conducted for 20 to 23 days.
In the current year, the Central government has earmarked an assistance of `814 crores under Plan outlay, `626 crores as Normal Central Assistance and `188 crores for Coastal Disaster Risk Management, as compared to previous year’s `763.90 crores which comprised `653.20 as normal central assistances, `100 crores for additional central assistance for externally aided projects and `10.60 crores for Hydrology. This has been the basis for projecting a higher plan size.