New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to move the Appropriation (No. 4) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha today, marking an important step in the government’s financial management during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.
The Bill seeks Parliament’s approval to authorise the withdrawal of additional funds from the Consolidated Fund of India to meet supplementary expenditure requirements for the current financial year. Such appropriation measures are a routine but crucial part of fiscal governance, allowing the government to legally incur spending beyond the allocations approved in the Union Budget.
According to the day’s legislative agenda, the Lok Sabha is expected to take up obituary references, Question Hour, and the laying of official papers before moving to financial business, including the Supplementary Demands for Grants and the Appropriation Bill. Once the demands for grants are voted upon, the Appropriation Bill provides the statutory backing required for the government to access funds.
The move comes in the final stretch of the Winter Session, which is scheduled to conclude later this week. With limited sitting days remaining, the government is focusing on clearing key financial and legislative business, while the Opposition is expected to raise concerns on expenditure priorities, fiscal discipline, and broader economic issues.
Explaining the significance of such legislation, parliamentary experts note that an Appropriation Bill is not merely procedural. It reflects the evolving expenditure needs of the government in response to economic conditions, policy initiatives, and unforeseen requirements during the year.
The passage of the Bill will enable the Centre to continue funding various schemes, administrative functions, and developmental programmes without disruption. As debates unfold in the House, today’s proceedings are expected to underscore the balance between fiscal flexibility and parliamentary oversight in India’s budgetary process.