Rajya Sabha returns two Appropriation Bills

Rajya Sabha on Wednesday returned the Appropriation (No 3) Bill, 2020 and the Appropriation (No 4) Bill, 2020, authorising payment of certain sums from the Consolidated Fund of India for the current financial year.

The bills, which were passed by Lok Sabha on September 19, were cleared in the Upper House with a voice vote and without any discussion.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman moved the Bills for consideration and passing. The Appropriation (No 4) Bill, 2020 authorises payment and appropriation of certain further sums out of the Consolidated Fund of India for services of the financial year 2020-2021, while the Appropriation (No 3) Bill, 2020 provides for authorisation of appropriation of money out of the Consolidated Fund of India to meet the amounts spent on certain services during the financial year ended on March 31, 2017, in excess of the amounts granted for those services and for that year.

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An Appropriation Bill is a money bill that allows the government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Fund of India to meet its expenses during the course of a financial year.

As per Article 114 of the Constitution, the government can withdraw money from it only after receiving approval from Parliament. While the Finance Bill contains provisions on financing the expenditure of the government, an Appropriation Bill specifies the quantum and purpose for withdrawing money. The Appropriation Bill is first passed by Lok Sabha and then sent to Rajya Sabha.

Rajya Sabha has the power to recommend any amendments in this Bill. However, it is the prerogative of Lok Sabha to either accept or reject these recommendations. The government had introduced the Appropriation Bill in the lower house of Parliament after discussions on Budget proposals and Voting on Demand for Grants.