Kohima: The Nagaland Assembly Tuesday passed the Rs 18,026.10 crore state budget for the financial year 2019-2020. No new taxes have been levied in the budget.
The budget was presented in the Assembly on Monday by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who also holds charge of the Finance portfolio. Discussions and consideration of the budget was taken up Tuesday
Responding to the discussion on the budget, Rio asserted that the constructive criticisms and suggestions of both the opposition and ruling members have been noted and that the government will seriously pursue to take up the suggestions meant for the peoples welfare and requested the opposition members to withdraw the cut motions.
To this, Opposition Leader T R Zeliang while stating that even if the cut motions are raised the ruling ministers would not be able give the satisfying reply while some of them were not present in the Assembly.
Zeliang also requested the ministers incharge of different departments to be prepared and not neglect the Assembly responsibility in the future.
Zeliang also announced withdrawal of the 27 cut motions against the 82 government departments.
The Deputy Speaker Zhaleo Rio put the demands for grants (budget) and the Nagaland Appropriation (No. 2) Bill to vote and both were passed by voice vote.
The deputy speaker then adjourned the third session of 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly sine-die after announcing the new committees of the Assembly for 2019-20.
During the session the Assembly passed the Nagaland Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and Nagaland Nursing Council Bill, 2019 as well as the supplementary demands for grants for 2018-19.
The members of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Ground of Defection) Rules, 2019 was also approved on the last day of the session.
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With inputs from PTI
