Rs 60,000 crore Budget for Delhi presented in Assembly

The Asian Age.

Metros, Delhi

Sisodia dedicates Budget to soldiers martyred in Pulwama n Budget twice the amount in 2014-15.

Delhi Dy CM Manish Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio, with CM Arvind Kejriwal before presenting the Budget on Tuesday. (Photo: Bunny Smith)

New Delhi: The AAP government on Tuesday presented a Rs 60,000 crore Budget for 2019-20 laying emphasis on education, health and transport sectors and said it is “two times more” than the one presented in 2014-15.

Presenting the Budget in the Delhi Assembly, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said the Budget is dedicated to soldiers martyred in the Pulwama attack.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Budget presented by his government is meant for every section of society and asserted that the economy of Delhi is booming at a time when other states are grappling with difficulties.

“This Budget is for everyone - rich, poor, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and students. We have taken care of everyone,” he told reporters.

Allocation for entrepreneurship plans, introduction of family business curriculum, setting up of a teachers training university and an applied science university are among the various initiatives announced in the Budget.

The deputy chief minister said the free wifi project of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government would start in the next financial year.

The AAP claimed that the budget of 2014-15 was Rs 30,940 crore while last year a Budget of Rs 53,000 crore was presented. Mr Sisodia advocated full statehood for Delhi, saying it was denied by the Centre, leading to the problems of recruitment of teachers, doctors and other employees, opening schools and hospitals.

He said Jan Lokpal would have been appointed if Delhi had full statehood.

Under the doorstep delivery programmes, 100 services would be brought under it, Sisodia said adding that Rs 500 crore has been allocated in the budget for the CCTV project.

There has been an increase of 73 per cent in the Budget for infrastructure projects and in transport sector, Mr Sisodia said adding that 4,000 new buses are being procured by the government which would materialise by the next financial year.

The deputy CM said Rs 100 crore has been allocated for a state electric vehicle fund.

An amount of Rs 7,485 has been allocated for the health sector, he said adding that a new scheme will also be launched to provide financial help to differently abled parents for marriage of their daughters.

Mr Sisodia said Rs 600 crore has been allocated for development work in unauthorised colonies while the total outlay for the transport sector has been kept at Rs 1,807 crore, which is twice than the last fiscal.

Elaborating about the environment sector, he said a new policy would be started to ensure that 80 per cent of trees that were cut to set up a business have to be replanted.

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