JS passes Tk 18,370cr supplementary budget for fiscal 2016-17

The Jatiya Sangsad today passed the supplementary budget of Tk 18,370 crore 22 lakh and 50 thousand for the current fiscal 2016-17 (FY 17) to meet the increased expenditures under different ministries/divisions.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith placed the supplementary budget for the current fiscal in the House on June 1 along with the national budget for fiscal 2017-18 (FY 18).

The finance minister moved the Appropriation (Supplementary) Bill, 2017 in the House. The lawmakers approved the bill by voice votes allowing the government to spend Tk 18,370 crore 22 lakh and 50 thousand from the consolidated fund to meet the expenditures of the current fiscal ending on June 30, 2017.

A total of 26 divisions/ministries sought demand for additional allocation in the supplementary budget of the current fiscal, which lawmakers from both opposition and treasury bench took part and discussed about the demand.

The total allocation in the current national budget was Tk 3 lakh 40 thousand and 605 crore. Later, the allocation in the revised budget stands at Tk 3 lakh 17 thousand and 174 crore.

In the national budget of the current fiscal, the revenue income was estimated at Tk two lakh 48 thousand and 268 crore. In the revised budget, the revenue was kept at Tk two lakh 23 thousand and 194 crore.

In the supplementary budget, the highest Tk 4,756 crore 46 lakh and 24 thousand was allocated for the Vocational and Madrasa Education Division under Education Ministry while Tk 2,250 crore 2 lakh and 96 thousand was sanctioned for Security Services Division under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Besides, Tk 2,143 crore 97 lakh and 40 thousand was sanctioned for Science and Technology Ministry, Tk 2,055 crore 21 lakh and 7 thousand for Housing and Public Works Ministry, Tk 1,166 crore 73 lakh and 27 thousand for Road Transport and Bridges Ministry, Tk 1,080 crore 83 lakh and 33 thousand for Defence Ministry and Tk 1 crore 84 lakh and 35 thousand for Arms Force Division under Defence Ministry, Tk 941 crore 68 lakh and 79 thousand for the Disaster Management and Relief Affairs Ministry, Tk 927 crore 14 lakh and 80 thousand was allocated for Local Government Division while Tk 245 crore, 47 lakh and 16 thousand for Rural Local Development and Co-operatives Division under the LGRD Ministry, Tk 305 crore 91 lakh and 16 thousand was allocated for Planning Division under the Planning Ministry, Tk 175 crore 42 lakh and 58 for Shipping Ministry, Tk 389 crore 74 lakh and 53 thousand for Post and Telecommunication Ministry, Tk 817 crore 30 lakh and 86 thousand for Environment and Forests Ministry, Tk 22 crore 24 lakh and 25 thousand for the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Tk 277 crore 47 lakh and 13 thousand for Textile and Jute Ministry, Tk 131 crore 86 lakh and 87 thousand for Chittagong Hill Tracts Ministry, Tk 93 crore 20 lakh and 30 thousand for Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Division under Planning Ministry, Tk 81 crore 43 lakh and 94 thousand for Religious Ministry, Tk 36 crore 38 lakh and 99 thousand for Youth and Sports Ministry, Tk 22 crore 49 lakh and 40 thousand for Railways Ministry, Tk 42 crore 40 lakh and 93 thousand for Water Resources Ministry, Tk 2 crore 66 lakh and 18 thousand for Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry Division under Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, Tk 387 crore 63 lakh and 23 thousand for Power Division under Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Tk 12 crore 66 lakh and 85 thousand for Supreme Court, Tk 1 crore 25 lakh and 50 thousand for Public Service Commission under Public Administration Ministry and Tk 70 lakh and 43 thousand for Commerce Ministry.

Different ministries, divisions and institutions sought the additional amount under 26 demands for the grant. Earlier, some opposition and independent lawmakers brought a total of 149 cut-motions. The MPs discussed four proposals of the cut-motions, which were rejected by voice votes.

Lawmakers of both treasury and opposition benches took part in the general discussion before the passage of the supplementary budget of the current fiscal 2016-17.

Finally, the House unanimously passed the Appropriation (Supplementary) Bill 2017 through voice votes.

Earlier, treasury bench members A Kh M Jahangir, M Sohrab Uuddin and Major General (retd) MA Wahab, Opposition bench members Kazi Feroz Rashid, Fakhrul Imam and Nurul Islam Omar discussed about supplementary budget and issued various matters in the Jatiya Sangsad.

Later, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith gave statement on lawmakers' discussion and said different divisions/ministries have spent additional money beyond their allocation during the current fiscal year.

"The government has undertaken various projects as Bangladesh is now at a stage with its economic capacity to implement those," Muhith said.