Funds and Frustrations: Gujarat Congress Walks Out Over Budget Allocation Issues

Congress MLAs walked out of the Gujarat Assembly, protesting inadequate allocations and fund underutilisation for Scheduled Castes, OBCs, and minorities. The dispute arose during a discussion led by Social Justice Minister Manisha Vakil. Minister Vakil presented expenditure figures, while Congress pointed out unspent allocations, alleging insufficient support for marginalized groups.

In a dramatic session on Thursday, Congress MLAs walked out of the Gujarat Assembly, expressing their dissatisfaction with budget allocations for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and minorities. The opposition accused the government of inadequate funding and significant underutilisation of allocated resources.

The uproar began during a session where Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Manisha Vakil answered queries regarding fund allocation. Vakil defended the allocations by presenting yearly expenditure figures, amounting to over Rs 2,000 crore over five years. However, Congress MLA Amit Chavda highlighted that significant portions of allocated funds, especially for minority and backward class corporations, remain unspent.

Despite Minister Vakil's assertions that documentation issues contributed to unspent funds, Congress members insisted on clearer allocation criteria and expressed dissatisfaction with the minister's responses, leading to their walkout. The session concluded with Speaker Chaudhary reprimanding the Congress for disruption, while government officials criticized the walkout as a pursuit of publicity.

(With inputs from agencies.)