Leader of Opposition in Nagaland Assembly TR Zeliang has requested Speaker Er. Vikho-o Yhoshu to direct Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to reconcile the accurate deficit figure of the state budget at the earliest and bring it to the notice of all the members and the people of the state in order to clear the cloud and maintain accountability and transparency.
CM Neiphiu Rio also holds the finance portfolio.
Referring to the budget discussion in the Assembly on March 26 on point of order, Zeliang in a letter to the Speaker on Wednesday which was made available to the press on Thursday said he sought clarification from the Chief Minister to furnish the correct reconciled deficit figure as on March 31, 2014 against the fiscal 2013-2014.
“It was most unfortunate that the budget was passed without furnishing the deficit figure and clarification in the House,” the Opposition leader said in the letter.
The House passed the Rs 18315.76 crore budget for the fiscal 2018-19 by voice vote on March 26. This was the first budget of the People’s Democratic Alliance government led by Rio.
He pointed out the figure of deficit mentioned in the Governor’s address was only a projected amount and not the confirmed figure of 2013-2014 from RBI.
“As Speaker of the House, your observation on the contradictory statement given by the Leader of the House on the subject in question has created confusion in the minds of the members both in Opposition and the Treasury Bench,” Zeliang said and requested the Speaker to direct the Chief Minister to reconcile the accurate deficit figure at the earliest.
