Rajya Sabha clears Appropriation Bill for expenditure of ₹54,067 crore

Amid protests and a walkout by Opposition members demanding the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the House, the Rajya Sabha on Thursday (August 6, 2026) considered and returned the Appropriation Bill, 2026 that allows the expenditure of around ₹ 54,067 crore, incurred during the 2022-23 financial year.

Replying to a brief discussion on the Bill, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the excess expenditure arose under two heads and had already been examined by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). She noted that the demands formed part of the PAC’s 39th Report, which was presented to the Lok Sabha in April this year.

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Ms. Sitharaman said an excess demand of ₹196.44 crore stemmed from a court order relating to the Ministry of Railways, while the larger demand of ₹53,871 crore was towards debt repayment.

Responding to a demand for greater financial assistance to Jammu and Kashmir, the Finance Minister said the Union government bears the entire salary and pension of Jammu and Kashmir Police, amounting to approximately ₹13,000 crore annually.

“We paid back the entire debt of Ladakh and after taking care of readjustments, restructured J&K’s debt. Also, for the years 2024-25 and 2025-26, an additional amount of ₹5,000 crore each year has been given, over and above the revised estimates of their budgets, just to make sure the urgent requirements of the J&K administration [are met] and it is not left without anybody’s support,” Ms. Sitharaman said, hailing the decision to abrogate Article 370, which was done seven years ago.

Earlier, the House witnessed disruptions and had to be adjourned for an hour when it met after lunch at 2.15 p.m. The Opposition walked out demanding that Union Home Minister Amit Shah must come to the House and apologise for the police action on protesting students.