Vote on Account tabled for first six months of new fiscal year 2024-25

GANGTOK,: Chief Minister PS Golay on Friday tabled the Vote on Account in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly for 2024-25 for disbursement of government salaries, wages and pension for the next six months.

The Vote on Account to meet the State government expenses from April to September of new fiscal year comes as State Assembly elections are imminent along with implementation of Model Code of Conduct.

The total fund requirement is Rs. 607325.52 lakh comprising of Rs. 480290.35 lakh on revenue account and Rs. 127035.17 lakh on capital account, worked out based on the budget estimate for 2023-24 after excluding spill over one time provisions and taking into account the latest available figures of salary and wages and pension payments, said the Chief Minister.

Golay, also the Finance minister, submitted that the Vote on Account is intended for disbursement of salaries, wages, etc. and shall not be used for incurring expenditures on new items or new services.

During the legislative business, Education minister KN Lepcha tabled two new bills for setting up private universities – Sikkim Pannadhay University Bill 2024 and Nirmala Devi University Bill 2024. Discussions and voting on the bills are scheduled on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the bills for seven new private universities that were introduced during the last session held on February 12 were passed by the House today.

The Sikkim Enlistment of Constructional Machineries and Equipments Bill 2024, the Sikkim Legislative Members (Payment of Pension and Medical Allowances) (Amendment) Bill 2024, the Sikkim Civil Courts (Amendment) Bill 2024 and the Sikkim Town and Country Planning Bill 2024, introduced on February 12, were also passed by the Assembly.

The Second Supplementary Demands for Grants 2023-24, tabled by the Chief Minister, was passed by the House.