MUMBAI: The expenditure priorities committee (EPC) of the finance department is unable to meet and decide on supplementary demands as there is no independent finance minister.
The Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government was sworn in on June 30. However, there has been no distribution of portfolios between the chief minister and deputy chief minister nor has there been a cabinet expansion.
Decision-making and routine meetings on public works and policy matters in all departments have come to a standstill.
Sources in the state finance department said the finance minister heads the EPC and in the absence of an independent finance minister, the committee cannot meet. Supplementary demands for finance are raised by governments when the sanctioned budget for a particular service is found to be insufficient and there is a need for additional funds. These demands are generally raised and approved during the monsoon and winter session.
The MVA government had announced the monsoon session would be held on July 18 and accordingly the supplementary demands too had been readied to be placed before the legislature for its approval. However, June-end saw a change in government. Not only was the monsoon session postponed but a new date is still to be announced. One of the chief reasons for the delay in announcing a fresh date for the monsoon session is the absence of a full-fledged cabinet.
The MVA government in March had presented a supplementary demand for over Rs 6,250 crore and in December 2021 for Rs 31,298 crore. During its tenure of 2.5 years, it had cumulatively presented supplementary demands for Rs 1.7 lakh crore.
"During the legislative session, questions are raised by legislators and the norm is that ministers of state generally reply to these questions in the assembly and council. There are no ministers of state. Similarly, supplementary demands are decided by the government of the day but in the absence of an independent finance minister no decision can be taken and the demands prepared by the previous government are no longer relevant,” said a source.
“If there is no monsoon session, then the demands will be raised during the winter session, though we are hopeful that the monsoon session will be held this month even if for a few days,” the source added.
