New Delhi, August 6 (ANI): Parliament on Thursday passed the Appropriation (No. 3) Bill, 2026, authorizing the appropriation of money from the Consolidated Fund of India to regularize excess expenditure of Rs 54,067.46 crore incurred during the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2023, beyond the amount originally approved by Parliament.
The excess expenditure relates to two categories: repayment of debt totaling Rs 53,871.01 crore and capital expenditure of Rs 196.45 crore under the Ministry of Railways.
The bill, which had earlier been passed by the Lok Sabha, was approved by the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Replying to the discussion on the bill in the Rajya Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said introducing such legislation is a routine constitutional requirement whenever excess government spending requires parliamentary approval.
“The Government of India has a practice of coming to the House because it has to get the appropriation cleared by the House whenever these excess demands happen,” Sitharaman said.
She noted that similar appropriation bills had been introduced in previous years, citing approvals sought in 2022 for excess expenditure related to the 2019-20 Budget, in 2023 for the 2020-21 Budget, and in 2025 for the 2021-22 Budget. She said the current bill similarly seeks Parliament’s approval for excess expenditure incurred during the 2022-23 fiscal year.
Responding to concerns raised by some members, Sitharaman said the excess expenditure had been properly accounted for and would not have a significant impact on the government’s finances.
“The fiscal implication is not severe,” she said, adding that the necessary accounting adjustments had been completed. She said the excess expenditure had already been identified and adjusted through the prescribed process before being brought before Parliament for approval.
Sitharaman also rejected suggestions that excess grants were approved only for selected sectors. She said the government seeks Parliament’s approval regardless of the department involved, whether the expenditure relates to debt servicing, education, health care, or any other sector.
She said such cases are brought before Parliament only after undergoing the prescribed review process, including scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee, and reiterated that the government follows the same constitutional procedure whenever excess expenditure is incurred. (ANI)
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