Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday criticised the opposition in the Lok Sabha over sloganeering and protests during a debate on issues related to LPG supply and supplementary demands for grants.
Replying to the debate on the second batch of supplementary demands for grants for 2025–26, Sitharaman said the government was preparing to deal with unexpected developments, including supply chain disruptions and potential LPG supply issues arising from the situation in West Asia.
She said it was ironic that while the government was outlining its preparedness for such challenges, opposition members were unwilling to listen to the response.
“Instead, they prefer to pursue their own agenda. Because of developments taking place abroad, several challenges are emerging for our country. The question before us is how we should face these challenges and arrange the necessary funds to deal with them,” she said.
Sitharaman said the government was taking several steps to ensure preparedness, but added that the opposition was taking what she described as irresponsible positions instead of standing together in the national interest.
She also questioned whether opposition members were suggesting that the government should not create a fiscal buffer or equalisation fund of Rs 50,000 crore to deal with unforeseen situations.
The minister also responded to remarks made during the debate, saying funds could only be released after Parliament approves the necessary provisions.
“How will I release it without the Parliament passing it? I am asking you all to pass this so that money goes for the ex-servicemen welfare,” she said.
Sitharaman said the second supplementary demands for grants would remain within the fiscal deficit target presented in the Union Budget.
She said an additional Rs 30,000 crore had been allocated under the supplementary demands for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme.
The minister also said the supplementary demands included additional fertiliser subsidy support for farmers.
Citing government initiatives, Sitharaman said 9.3 crore farmers were receiving benefits through direct benefit transfer mechanisms and that assistance worth Rs 12 lakh crore had been delivered under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.
She also highlighted other government programmes, saying tap water had reached 13 crore households and that more than 12 crore toilets had been built under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
According to the minister, the total supplementary demands for grants, including both the first and second batches, amount to Rs 4.13 lakh crore. Of this, Rs 1.71 lakh crore relates to technical supplementary adjustments.
She explained that technical supplementary provisions largely involve reallocating savings within grants or using additional receipts and recoveries.
Sitharaman said the revised estimates for 2025–26 were lower than the original budget estimates and that there was no increase in expenditure beyond the budget estimates even after the second supplementary demand.
The Lok Sabha later passed the supplementary demands for grants along with the related appropriation bill.
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