Finance Minister Prasanna Acharya on Friday presented the Vote-on-Account of Rs 34,829.36 crore for the first four months of the 2014-15 fiscal from April to July amidst a ruckus created by Opposition Congress in the Assembly.
The main Opposition Congress boycotted Acharya’s speech accusing the Government of indulging in horse-trading during the Rajya Sabha polls. As the Finance Minister Acharya presented the Vote-on-Account by making a customary speech during the Zero Hour, the Congress members trooped in to the Well of the House and demonstrated shouting anti-Government slogans and tearing Vote-on-Account booklet.
leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh alleged that the Chief Minister hijacked two Independents, including one who was the proposer for the Congress candidate for the fourth Rajya Sabha seat on the eve of the elections. The Chief Minister promised them help for the development of their area which is nothing but horse trading, he alleged. Health Minister Dr Damodar Rout refuted the charges. Similarly, the two Independent MlAs, Braja Pradhan and Jitu Patnaik, refuted the charges and dubbed the allegations as baseless and irrelevant.
In the Vote-on-Account, the highest amount of expenditure of Rs 3,963 crore has gone to the School and Mass Education Department, followed by Panchyati Raj Department (Rs 2,757 crore) and Water Resource Deaprtment (Rs2,168 crore).