Mr. President, Sir, I am at one with my honourable Friend Shrimati Durgabai that the passage of this Constitution should be expedited. But I would like to join issue with her on one point and that is this. She stated that this constitution-making has been a huge drain upon our financial resources. I know we have spent some money. The House will remember that the Legislative Assembly in 1946 or early in 1947 budgeted one crore of rupees for the Constituent Assembly. Sometime during the last session, it was suggested in this House or outside that over two crores of rupees had been spent. After I heard this statement, I worked out the figures myself and came to the conclusion that only about sixty to seventy lakhs had been spent so far by this Assembly in constitution-making. I am not referring to the legislative work at all. If you include the sessions of the Legislative Assembly as well then perhaps we have spent more; but that is not part of the budgeted amount for constitution-making; and it is wrong in my humble judgement to lay the blame at the door of the Members of this House, even if a large amount has been spent.
