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Breach of privilege notices with Speaker New Delhi, February 28 Mr Chatterjee made the observation in the House shortly before the presentation of the Budget after NDA Convener George Fernandes demanded that his notice of breach of privilege against the Prime Minister be referred to the Privileges Committee. The Speaker said he had received notices from Mr Fernandes, Kerala Congress leader P.C. Thomas and BJP deputy leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra who alleged that Manmohan Singh had violated the secrecy of the Budget before its presentation by writing a letter to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on the inclusion of several projects. "The notices are under my consideration," Mr Chatterjee said and asked Finance Minister P. Chidambaram to go ahead with the presentation of the Budget.  |
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Funds for RS, LS
hiked New Delhi, February 28 While the expenses for the Lower House has been kept at Rs 206.32 crore, that for the Upper House would be Rs 95.13 crore. The 2004-05 allocations for the two Houses are Rs 196.98 crore and Rs 90.07 crore, respectively, according to the 2005-06 Budget papers. Following is the break-down of the 2005-06 Budget for the Lok Sabha (with 545 members) — Speaker and Deputy Speaker Rs 0.33 crore, Leader of the Opposition and Secretariat Rs 0.40 crore, members Rs 140.47 crore, Secretariat Rs 64.46 crore, Secretariat (chief whips) Rs 0.11 crore and other expenditure Rs 0.55 crore. The break-down for the Rajya Sabha (245 members) is — Chairman and Deputy Chairman Rs 0.23 crore, Leader of the Opposition and Secretariat Rs 0.39 crore, members Rs 64.80 crore, Secretariat Rs 29.14 crore, Secretariat of leaders, deputy leaders and chief whips of recognised parties and groups Rs 0.07 crore and other expenditure Rs 0.50 crore. |
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Fellowships
for SC/ST students New Delhi, February 28 Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said in his Budget speech that the government proposed to provide funds for 2000 fellowships every year from 2005-06 on the pattern of UGC fellowships. The allocation for the programmes was Rs 6,253 crore. |
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National
rural health mission on anvil New Delhi, February 28 The mission will focus on strengthening primary healthcare through grassroots level public health interventions based on community interventions. Over a period of seven years, the mission would strive to improve basic health care for the common man through better immunisation, child and maternal healthcare and control of diseases through preventive and curative measures. To meet the expenditure on training of health volunteers, providing more medicines and strengthening the primary and community health system, the Finance Minister has enhanced the allocation for the Department of Health and the Department of Health and Family Welfare from Rs 8,240 crore in the current year to Rs 10,280 crore in the ensuing financial year. The mission proposes to correct the public health system to facilitate effective utilisation of increased allocations from the present 0.9 per cent to two to three per cent of the GDP over the next five years. A cumulative budget of Rs 6605 crore is being earmarked for this purpose. In order to mop up
additional funds for the mission, the minister proposes to increase the specific rate on cigarettes by about 10 per cent and impose a surcharge of 10 per cent on ad valorem duties on other tobacco products including gutka, chewing tobacco, snuff and pan masala. Bidis will not be subject to this levy. The prime objective of imposing the levy is to reduce the consumption of hazardous products. |
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