Shillong, May 21: The Meghalaya Assembly on Thursday passed the budget estimates for the current financial year 2020-21 on the second day of the re-assembled budget session.

Earlier during the budget session in March, chief minister Conrad K Sangma had presented a deficit budget of Rs 1532 crore for the year 2020-21. However the session was cut short due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Only the vote-on-account was passed that time so that the Meghalaya government can defray certain charges for three months from April 1 to June 30.

On Thursday, the chief minister who holds the finance portfolio, tabled the Meghalaya Appropriation (No. II) Bill, 2020 and the Meghalaya Appropriation (No. III) Bill, 2020 to authorize payment and appropriation of certain sums from the consolidated fund of Meghalaya for the financial year 2020-2021.

The Meghalaya Appropriation (No. II) Bill, 2020, and Meghalaya Appropriation (No. III) Bill, 2020 stated that Rs 1743, 23, 49,000 and Rs 108,62,75,000 would be withdrawn from the consolidated fund of Meghalaya towards defraying several charges which will come in the course of payment during the financial year ending on 31st March, 2021.

Other bills – the Meghalaya Labour Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020, and the Meghalaya State Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Meghalaya Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2020 were also passed by the State Assembly.