Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 3 (ANI): As the Monsoon Session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly is set to commence, Speaker Satish Mahana on Monday said the state government will present a supplementary budget to provide additional allocations for welfare schemes and expenditure heads that have emerged after the passage of the annual Budget.
Speaking to ANI, he said that various government schemes proposed after the budget and other expenditure that require extra funds “come under the supplementary budget”.
“The session is beginning, and a supplementary budget will be presented. There are many government schemes that have been proposed after the budget, and there are many such heads of expenditure that require a significant number of extra funds, which is why they come under the supplementary budget,” Mahana said.
Calling it a routine constitutional exercise, the Assembly Speaker said governments have traditionally brought supplementary budgets whenever there is a need for additional expenditure.
“This is a normal procedure. Ever since a democratic system has been in place, the introduction of a supplementary budget has always been a routine matter. A budget is presented, and what budget the government brings is within the government’s jurisdiction,” Mahana said.
He further said the supplementary budget would be tabled on Tuesday and would be taken up for discussion before being passed.
“The budget will be presented tomorrow, and after discussions on it, it will be passed on the third day. Therefore, I am confident that through this budget, an effort will be made to fulfil the public welfare schemes that the government brings forward,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati urged both the ruling party and the Opposition to ensure that the short Assembly session is devoted to public welfare rather than political confrontation.
In a post on X, Mayawati noted that while the Monsoon Session comprises only four working days, people expect it to focus on national interest, public welfare and pressing public issues instead of “narrow partisan politics, tug-of-war, accusations and counter-accusations, and commotion”.
She also expressed concern over the declining duration of Uttar Pradesh Legislature sessions, saying the constitutional role and influence of the legislature should not be weakened, as it is essential for ensuring bureaucratic accountability and protecting public interest.
The BSP chief further questioned whether such a brief session would be able to fulfil the true objectives of the legislature or merely remain a formality. She stressed that strengthening the legislature is vital for upholding the Constitution and democracy, and called for serious parliamentary conduct from both the government and the Opposition.
“Although this session is extremely short-term, people’s expectation remains that this session of the UP Legislature, like the current session of Parliament, should not entirely succumb to narrow partisan politics, tug-of-war, accusations and counter-accusations, commotion, and the like, but instead be dedicated to national and public interest, public welfare, and pressing public issues,” said Mayawati.
“It is only natural for people to be concerned about this short-term session that, in order to hold the bureaucracy accountable to its constitutional oath and responsible for public interest and public welfare, it is essential that the constitutional influence of the legislature not be diminished in any way. For this purpose, with the UP Legislature’s sessions continuously decreasing in duration, along with such a brief session of the Legislative Assembly, will it be able to achieve its true objective, or will it merely remain a formality?” she added.
“For the strength of the country’s Constitution and democracy here, as well as for keeping a check on the bureaucracy, the strengthening of the legislature is of utmost importance, and for this, serious parliamentary conduct from both the government and the opposition is essential,” Mayawati said. (ANI)
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