State’s supplementary budget: Rs 10,000 cr

For the state government, it could stand for anything from additional funds for legislators to money for VVIP stays.

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For the state government, it could stand for anything from additional funds for legislators to money for VVIP stays.

The state’s proposed supplementary budget — unforeseen and emergency expenditure in addition to the annual budget — stands at Rs 10,169 crore, nearly one third of its total annual budget.

The supplementary statement was submitted to the state legislature on Tuesday. Opposition leaders such as Eknath Khadse of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Ganpatrao Deshmukh Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) slammed the statement, terming it an overall failure by the planning department.

Under this budget, the state government will spend about Rs 4.09 crore on beefing security at chief minister’s official residence Varsha at Malabar Hill and governor’s residence at Raj Bhavan.

The government has now made provision of Rs 200 crore as additional funds for legislators. Each of the 300 plus legislators will now get MLA fund of Rs 1.50 crore. They will also get back funds, which lapsed last year due to polls.

Other expenses include Rs 4.28 crore for VVIP stay in the state and this includes food, travel and entertainment costs. The state guest house at Malabar Hill will get rewired for a new air-conditioning.

“Normally, a supplementary budget can be at 5 to 10 per cent of the overall budget. But, this shows that state’s planning process is unregulated,” said Khadse.

“The net burden through supplementary is much less at around Rs 4,350 crore. The remaining is adjustment for books, for instance we have included the Centre’s share for schemes that have not yet come in as well as budgetary provisions now cleared but estimated earlier in the budget books,” said a senior official from the finance department, requesting anonymity.