Bihar Assembly passes over Rs 22,500-crore supplementary demands for grant

The House, which assembled for a truncated, day-long monsoon session in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, also passed the related Appropriation Bill, required for withdrawal of the supplementary demand from the treasury to meet various outstanding expenses, in addition to those sanctioned in the state budget. Bihar Finance Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said that despite revenue collections dipping by 33.61 per cent in the first three months of the fiscal, the state government has decided not to effect any cut in salaries, unlike some of the other states, in the wake of the coronavirus-induced lockdown impacting the economy.

The Bihar Assembly on Monday passed the first supplementary demands for grant of Rs 22,777.32 crore for the 2020-21 fiscal. The House, which assembled for a truncated, day-long monsoon session in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, also passed the related Appropriation Bill, required for withdrawal of the supplementary demand from the treasury to meet various outstanding expenses, in addition to those sanctioned in the state budget.

Bihar Finance Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said that despite revenue collections dipping by 33.61 per cent in the first three months of the fiscal, the state government has decided not to effect any cut in salaries, unlike some of the other states, in the wake of the coronavirus-induced lockdown impacting the economy. The state government has so far taken loans of Rs 5,000 crore from the Centre and if needed, it would seek more in order to extend all possible help to people of the state affected by the pandemic and floods, he said.

The state can borrow up to Rs 22,500 crore from the Centre, the minister said. The Bihar and central government have "jointly transferred Rs 25,000 crore into the bank accounts of the poor," Sushil Modi claimed.

The 243-strong assembly met on Monday at a huge hall situated on the second floor of the 'Gyan Bhavan', the first session convened outside the legislature complex to adhere to social distancing norms. The members, seen wearing masks, and some even gloves and face shields, were seated in alternate rows in a hall big enough to accommodate 800 people.

Masks and sanitisers were also distributed at the entrance.