The Rajya Sabha today returned a finance bill authorizing the Centre for appropriation of five thousand crore rupees from the Consolidated Fund of India. The amount will be spent on setting up, among others, a Women’s Bank, Nirbhaya Fund and skill development purposes. The Lok Sabha had passed the Appropriation Bill, 2013 earlier.

Replying to a discussion in the Upper House, Finance Minister P Chidambaram expressed confidence that the country will emerge stronger from its present economic stress. Sharing members’ concern over the growing inflation, the Finance Minister said the import of inessential commodities will have to be curbed to save foreign exchange.