Delhi gets over 200 pc more in budget, Dikshit happy

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Monday increased the annual budgetary outlay for the national capital by over 200 percent to about Rs.2,500 crore.

Delhi gets over 200 pc more in budget, Dikshit happy

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Monday increased the annual budgetary outlay for the national capital by over 200 percent to about Rs.2,500 crore (Rs.25 billion). The city will get more funds for housing, infrastructure and basic services for the urban poor - a move Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit welcomed.

The total allocation for Delhi stands at Rs.2,495.68 crore for this fiscal, a whopping 207 percent higher from the last Rs.812.80 crore.

The national capital territory got a greater grant for investing in infrastructure and improving services to the urban poor.

The grant for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) - one of the flagship programmes of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government - has been enhanced by Rs.975.91 crore to Rs.1,129.82 crore for this fiscal as compared to Rs.153.91 crore in 2008-09.

Sheila Dikshit said she was happy with the increase in the Central Plan Assistance and termed the budget "pro-poor".

"A substantial increase has been made for JNNURM and other sectors directly related to welfare of the people. It is a development-oriented and pro-poor budget which would take forward our country. It reflects the commitment of the government to fulfil promises made to the common man," said Dikshit.

She said she was confident that the government would provide additional funds for Delhi whenever required.

Delhi's Finance Minister A.K. Walia expressed his gratitude to Mukherjee for making a fair hike and welcomed the increase in allocation under the special grant for JNNURM.

The allocation for Commonwealth Games has also been hiked from Rs.400 crore in the previous fiscal to Rs.1,000 crore in 2009-10 - an increase of 150 percent or Rs.600 crore.

"The city government would stress upon the need for another Rs.1,000 crore under this head," Walia said.

He expressed confidence that the central government would favourably consider this reasonable requirement of the Delhi government, keeping in view the importance of the ensuing 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The provision for Old Age Pension has also been hiked from Rs.53.27 crore in the last fiscal to Rs.83.71 crore in 2009-10, which marks a 57 percent increase.

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