Delhi budget allocation same as last year; Kejriwal calls out Centre for 'step motherly' treatment

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the Centre of giving the state a ''step motherly'' treatment with allocation of Rs 1,168.01 crore – same as last fiscal – in the Union budget 2023-24 presented in the Parliament on Wednesday.

The allocation for Delhi was Rs 1,168 crore in 2022-23 that had later declined to Rs 977.02 crore in the revised estimates for the year.

The 'grants in lieu of share in central taxes and duties' for Delhi that has remained unchanged at Rs 325 crore for many years has been clubbed with 'central assistance to Union Territories' from 2023-24 onwards, said the budget document.

The Delhi Chief Minister said despite paying more than Rs 1.75 lakh crore in income tax last year, the city was allocated only Rs 325 crore in the Union Budget 2023-24.

He said the budget has offered the state no respite from the problems of inflation and unemployment.

Under the central assistance to UTs, Delhi has received Rs 951 crore for 2023-24. This includes Rs 325 crore that was earlier given to Delhi as grants in lieu of share in central taxes and duties.

In 2022-23, Delhi had received Rs 626 crore under grant to UTs as central assistance.

Delhi has also received Rs 200.01 crore for Chandrawal water treatment plant, as additional central Assistance for externally aided projects.

Other grants for Delhi in the Budget 2023-24 included Rs 15 crore in contribution to the Union Territory Disaster Response Fund, and Rs 2 crore in enhanced compensation to 1984 riots victims.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)