TRS govt plans vote on account in likely absence of full Union Budget

HYDERABAD: The State government will present a vote on account in February or March, official sources have confirmed. A four-day Assembly session will suffice for the announcement of an estimate of expenditures to be sanctioned by the exchequer till the Budget is passed.

The reason cited for the proposed move is that the Central government may not present a full Budget for 2019-20 on account of the forthcoming parliamentary elections. The absence of a complete Union Budget would put the State government on a back foot with regard to clarity on funds to be received from the Centre. As accurate figures of Central grants and assistance will not be available in the likely event of the Union government presenting a vote on account, the State too will adopt an interim strategy deciding how to use funds allotted by New Delhi, sources privy to the plan told TNIE.

Vote on account, a grant in advance, allows the government to spend money till voting of demands for grants and passing of Appropriation Bill and Finance Bill. “We need just four days of Assembly to present vote on account. There is no need for a massive Budget exercise. The vote on account will focus on expenditure and not revenue generation,” an official with the Finance Department revealed Wednesday.

Analysts TNIE spoke to, however, believe the reason behind the decision could be more political than administrational. Chief Minister and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao will be busy campaigning ahead of the Lok Sabha elections for around 40 days and may not be able to concentrate on setting the Budget.

Cabinet expansion unlikely in January

The expansion of the State Cabinet is likely to take longer than expected. And, if sources are to believe, it won’t even happen in January. Thanks to model code of conduct in vogue due to Gram Panchayat elections, the Assembly is unlikely to convene this month and hence MLA-elects cannot be administered their oaths. Sources within the State Election Commission inform Express that the Cabinet expansion, if done before polls, could influence voters. SEC permission would be required to convene the Assembly session as well.  Earlier, it had been speculated that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had planned the exercise after Sankranthi, on January 16 or 17.