New Delhi: Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday presented Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government's Rs 41,129 crore budget in the Delhi Assembly with a major focus on education, health and transport sectors besides allocating funds to provide free Wi-Fi facility in colleges and villages.
Terming the Delhi Budget 2015 India's first 'Swaraj Budget' Sisodia said it was a matter of pride for him to be presenting the budget.
In his Budget speech, Sisodia said, "We've taken into account expectations and aspirations of Delhi people while preparing this budget. This is a budget for 'aam aadmi'."
He proposed that the estimated Delhi Budget for the year 2015-16 was Rs 41,129 crores with plan outlay of Rs 19,000 crores and non-plan outlay Rs 22,129 crores. Compared to last year, this is an 18% rise in the state's budget.
"We want to develop Delhi into a world class skill centre through way of this budget," Sisodia added.
"Full statehood is not mere dream, we are raising this issue with centre regularly," Sisodia said, and added, "We have made efforts and taken steps towards making Delhi the first corruption free state. We'll make Delhi first corruption free state of India."
The AAP government had attempted to check prices in the state and taken steps against hoarding, said Sisodia.
Sisodia proposed Rs 1690 crores for electricity and water subsidy and proposed establishment of a 'Swaraj Fund' with a corpus of Rs 253 crores. "The public would decide the expenditure from this fund. This is a unique experiment as public would decide in mohalla sabhas where to spend the money in," he said.
In the first phase, the proposal for free Wi-Fi will be implemented in schools and colleges with an expenditure of Rs 50 crores.
"'E- District' will be implemented and DM will issue certificate with digital signature," said Sisodia.
The proposed expenditure for education facilities was Rs 9836 crores in Sidodia's Budget. "This is an increase of 106% over the previous budget," he said, and added that 20,000 new teachers will be recruited. "This (increase) is probably a first in the country which indicates our commitment to the cause of education. For us it is not expenditure but investment," Sisodia said.
There would be a single-window system for procurement of licenses, he said.
Sisodia remarked that for health, the AAP government has allocated Rs 4,787 crore (45% increased from the last year), and Rs 3,138 crore from planned budget.
He said the government was in the process of installing CCTV cameras in all classrooms of government schools across Delhi to bring in "transparency and accountability".
"We are also trying to inculcate value in the education. and education with skill and value. Fifty schools would be developed as model schools in this regard," he said.
Stressing on skill development, he said Rs 310 crore has been alloted for skill development and proposed the establishment of a skill university.
In an effort to curb vehicular emission, Sisodia said government will penalise heavy goods diesel vehicles, entering Delhi from other states.
He said polluting trucks of different categories of four, six, 10 and 14 wheeler would be penalised Rs 500, Rs 750, Rs 1,000 and Rs 1500 respectively. A fine of Rs 100 will be levied on polluting tempos.
"I also propose to increase the registration tax by 25 per cent of the existing rate for all categories of private vehicles registered in the name of companies and partnership firms," he said.
Sisodia called the budget tax-free as no increase in VAT has been proposed.
He said efforts are on to ensure a uniform tax regime across northern states to minimise tax arbitrage and eliminate corrupt practices. He said VAT on certain items has been brought down to eliminate ambiguity in tax regime in the region.
Sisodia also announced the establishment of a 'Swaraj fund' and allocated Rs 253 crore towards it.
Giving out details of Delhi's economy, Sisodia said at constant prices, the economy grew at 8.2 per cent during last year compared to 7.3 per cent growth at national level.
While the contribution of Delhi to the national GDP is about 3.86 per cent, "we are only 1.4 per cent of the total population of the country", he said.
In an important decision, he proposed to set up a new agency called "Delhi Urban Development Agency (DUDA)" in each district for execution of developmental work projects as well as maintenance of public assets.
This new agency will execute the works recommended by the citizens under "Swaraj Fund" and works recommended by members under "MLA Fund".
Sisodia also announced steps to ensure ease of doing business and said an empowered committee has been constituted to suggest measures.
"This committee, among other things, shall review the existing licensing system and will suggest measures to simplify the process of issuance and renewal of licences done by various agencies of the government, including moving towards single window clearance system," he said.
Sisodia said the recommendations of this committee shall be submitted by July 31 and within next two months the implementation of the recommendations will begin.
He said the government hopes to finance the proposed total expenditure mainly from tax revenue of Rs 34,661 crore, Rs 1,127 crore from non-tax revenue and Rs 381 crore from capital receipts.
The rest would come in the form of Rs 1,038 crore from small saving loan, Rs 807 crore as compensation of CST/VAT, Rs 800 crore from centrally-sponsored schemes, Rs 395 crore normal central assistance, Rs 163 crore externally-aided projects and Rs 325 crore share in central taxes and "the remaining amount from the opening balance".
Calling expenditure in education as "investment", Sisodia said the government was in the process of installing CCTV cameras in all classrooms of government schools across Delhi to bring in "transparency and accountability".
"We are also trying to inculcate value in the education. and education with skill and value. Fifty schools would be developed as model schools in this regard," he said.
To boost housing and urban development in the national capital, the government announced a budget of Rs 1,793 crore, 32 per cent more than last year and a slum redevelopment policy to develop the JJ clusters and expedite the regularisation of unauthorised colonies.
Sisodia while proposing budget estimate for fiscal 2015-16 said, "total financial support of Rs 5,908 crore is proposed to the local bodies in 2015-16 which is 14.4 per cent of the total budget" saying the government was committed to support the municipal corporations in every possible way.
The Delhi Budget 2015 is Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government's budget for remaining nine months of the current financial year in the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
The budget session of the state assembly began on June 23 and will conclude on June 30.
(With PTI Inputs)
