The Lok Sabha has passed the Appropriation (No – 3) Bill, 2026, authorizing additional spending of over 54 thousand crore rupees towards debt repayment. The Rajya Sabha had earlier discussed the bill and will resume discussions after an adjournment.
The Lok Sabha has passed the Appropriation (No – 3) Bill, 2026, following a discussion in the Upper House. The bill is aimed at authorizing the appropriation of money from the Consolidated Fund of India to meet amounts spent on certain services during the financial year ended on March 31, 2023, in excess of the amounts granted for those services for that year.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman clarified that the demand for excess grants pertains to two specific items identified by the Public Accounts Committee in its 39th report. The first item relates to an excess demand of over 196 crore rupees from the Ministry of Railways, while the second concerns repayment of debt, amounting to 53 thousand 871 crore rupees.
In response to questions regarding Jammu and Kashmir, Sitharaman assured that the Central Government has extended substantial financial and administrative support to the Union Territory after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. She highlighted that the salaries and pensions of the Jammu and Kashmir Police are being fully covered by the Central Government, involving an annual expenditure of around 13 thousand crore rupees.
During the discussion, various political party members commended the government's economic initiatives and growth strategies under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They noted India's progress as one of the fast-growing major economies in the world due to these initiatives.
Additionally, the members appreciated the government's focus on infrastructure development, digital governance, manufacturing, connectivity, and welfare schemes, which contribute to economic growth and improve public service delivery. They also requested equal importance be given to all states while planning development works.
After the passage of this legislation, the House took up Special Mentions in which members from various political parties raised issues of public importance.
Source:
Akashvani News
