Rajya Sabha returns Appropriation Bill

Rajya Sabha today returned the Appropriation Bill authorising payment of certain sums from the Consolidated Fund of India for the current financial year.

Rajya Sabha today returned the Appropriation Bill authorising payment of certain sums from the Consolidated Fund of India for the current financial year.

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Replying to the discussion on the bill, Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena said that price rise is a "matter of concern" but the government is taking appropriate steps to control it and they are expected to come down.

"The government has embarked on the path of fiscal consolidation," Meena said.

He strongly refuted the Opposition's charge that the Union Budget was against the common man.

"The UPA government started schemes like NREGA, Rajiv Gandhi Vidyutikaran Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana among others. All these schemes were only started for the benefit of the common man," Meena said.

Responding to concerns raised by some members on the IPL controversy, the minister said, "Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has already said that the matter is being probed and punitive action would be taken against the perpetrators."

The Lok Sabha had passed the Appropriation Bill on Tuesday.