Rajya Sabha returns Appropriation Bills after voice vote

New Delhi, March 21:  The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday returned two Appropriation Bills 2020 (No.3 and No.4), which authorise the payment of certain amounts from the Consolidated Fund of India, after a voice vote.

The two bills, which were moved by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, were passed in the Lower House in September last year.

Earlier, speaking during a debate, Sitharaman said that there were no reductions in major heads and the Budget allocations have been increased in comparison to last year's allocation.

Noting that additional expenses were made on defence, oil, fuel, ration and Customs duties, she said that adequate allocation had been made in the Budget.

Talking about the EPFO interest rate, Sitharaman said that the decision was made by the EPFO's apex decision making body, Central Board of Trustees, to provide 8.1 per cent rate of interest on Employees Provident Fund (EPF) for 2021-22.

The rate is still higher than the rates of some of the other pension organisations, she added.

During the debate, some members expressed concerns over defence procurement, including Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil, who expressed concern over the procurement of shoes, winter jackets and ammunition for the forces.

"I would like to say that if the Congress, which was in power for 10 long years, could have bothered about the defence forces, the latter would have been in a better position," Sitharaman said.

Making a reference to a purchase made in February 2018, the Finance Minister said that the Defence Acquisition Committee (DAC) ordered for over 41,000 Light Machine Guns worth over Rs 3.5 crore on an urgent basis.

"We have raised the purchase of bullet-proof jackets, ammunition and even fighter aircraft, which were not bought in the 10 years of Congress rule. What was supposed to be bought in those 10 years, we bought in the last seven years," Sitharaman said.

She also said that there is no reduction in any heads of the Defence Ministry, rather there has been an increase in all heads such as civil expenditure, defence service revenue, capital outlay and defence pension.

Stressing that corporatisation does not mean privatisation, Sitharaman said that the government has placed an order for 118 Arjun class tanks worth Rs 74,523 crore with a defence PSU in Chennai.