The price of liquor is likely to go up in the national capital as the AAP government may increase VAT on the sale of alcohol in the Budget Session beginning Tuesday.
The price of liquor is likely to go up in the national capital as the AAP government may increase VAT on the sale of alcohol in the Budget Session beginning Tuesday. The hike in liquor price would be part of the budget proposals to be tabled on March 28. The Budget Session will start with lieutenant-governor Najeeb Jung’s address to the House, highlighting achievements of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s government in the past one year, including financial health of the state administration. The AAP government is unlikely to table any other bill during the session. As many as 18 Bills are already awaiting nod of the Union home ministry. These bills had been tabled in the Assembly without any prior approval from lieutenant-governor Najeeb Jung or the Centre.
A highly-placed source said the AAP government was all set to announce increase in VAT from 20 to 25 per cent on liquor in the national capital. This means liquor prices would go up in the next fiscal. At present, the government charges 20 per cent VAT on liquor. The AAP government may also impose five per cent VAT on plastic waste, textile and fabrics, readymade garments costing above Rs 2,000. A senior AAP functionary said that any changes in the tax regime before the Budget presentation could have sent a wrong message to the people of the national capital. “It is better to introduce new taxes only through the Budget document duly passed by the state legislature.”
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who holds the finance portfolio, had recently said that 25 per cent of the total Budget allocation would be set aside for education to focus more on training programmes and physical infrastructure. In the 2015-16 Budget, the government had allocated Rs 9,836 crore for the education sector out of which Rs 4,570 crore was given under the plan outlay, which was an increase of about 106 per cent.
The House will, however, sit only for five days till March 31. The House will start with Mr Jung’s address to the House. The lieutenant-governor’s address would be the blueprint of work done by the AAP government, including subsidy on power and water front, waiving of Rs 2,900 crore as outstanding dues of water bills, proposal for setting up 100 new mohalla clinics, opening of a polyclinic and 8,000 new classrooms in government schools till July 2016 and 45 new schools being constructed in the city. After the lieutenant-governor’s address, the Economic Survey of Delhi will be tabled in the House.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Mr Sisodia had met Union home minister Rajnath Singh, urging him to clear the pending bills of the Delhi government.
