Unauthorised colonies are likely to be included in the core priorities of the Aam Aadmi Party government’s final budget this year, sources in the know of the broad contours of the Budget claimed. The AAP government’s core priorities so far have been largely defined by a thrust on education and health sectors.
“The government has been able to meet most benchmarks, as per strict timelines, in both the education and health sectors. In addition to keeping its focus on both these sectors, it will add the development of unauthorised colonies to its list of priorities which will, again, be according to timeline,” said a source.
This year’s Budget will also see the allocation of an estimated ₹100 crore to provide a fillip to the development of the Capital’s agricultural sector. The Budget Session of the Delhi Assembly will be held from February 22 to February 28.
The Delhi government’s budget last year had exceeded ₹50,000 crore. For the first time, the AAP dispensation had tabled a ₹53,000 crore Budget, focused mainly on education which got the highest allocation, at 26% of ₹13,997 crore. The amount allocated for the health sector at 12.7% was at ₹6,729 crore.
According to the source, the MLAs’ endowment would remain at ₹10 crore as had been announced by the government in mid-2018.
CM inaugurates work
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday inaugurated more development works in jhuggi jhopri colonies at Patel Nagar here amid criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party which accused the Delhi government of “thinking of unauthorised colonies only towards the end of its tenure in office”.
Mr. Kejriwal has been on an inauguration spree at unauthorised colonies and JJ clusters in the Capital on a daily basis since late-January which, the sources claimed, was “more than an insight” into the Delhi government’s priorities for the coming fiscal.