Through “Efficient financial management”, AAP aims to reach all targets, oppositions says, “Selling pipe dreams”

The Delhi government presented its budget for 2021 and named its budget for 2021 as deshbhakti (patriotism) budget, indicating best education, employment, health and liveable conditions comes under patriotism and not chanting a symbolic mantra.

Highlights of the budget of Rs 69,000 crore, presented by Finance Minister, for a population of nearly 2 crore in Delhi are: Rs.16,377 crore, that is around one-fourth of the Budget, has been reserved for the education sector. Education should become a “Jan Aandolan” (Mass Movement). Towards this step, it plans to start a voluntary mentorship programme called “Youth for Education”, where students will help other students.

Another step toward education will be a virtual model school. “This will be like a normal school, but there will be no building. The message it will convey is one of anytime learning. The designing for this project has started,” Sisodia said.

Fourth step is a new syllabus for students in nursery to Class VIII. “This work is in the last stage… We are working towards making early childhood education part of the mainstream,” the FM said.

Fifth step is a Delhi armed forces preparatory academy, where children would be trained to enter the armed forces.

Rs.9,934 crore has been allocated to the health sector.

Rs.50 crore for the free vaccination drive in all Delhi government hospitals.

“Delhi has the capability to vaccinate 45,000 people per day. This will be increased to 60,000 people soon,” Sisodia aid.

A 100 women mohalla clinics across the city, especially for gynecological issues, to be addressed by doctors.

Anganwadi hubs for women to use in the afternoons as Saheli Samanvay Kendra. These can be used as incubation centres for women who want to start small businesses.

Clean Yamuna in three years, as all unauthorised colonies will be provided water through pipelines in the coming two years. Work on interceptor sewages is nearly complete.

“The per capita income of a Delhi resident will be equal to the per capita income of a Singapore resident, that it, 16 times more than what it is now, ” by 2047. So the Budget lays out a vision for Delhi’s progress till 2047.

Sport and transport

One e-vehicle charging station every three kilometres in the city. Others

Rs.10 crore each for marking the contribution of the contribution of Bhagat Singh and B R Ambedkar by holding programmes through the year.

Rs. 45 crore to install 500 flags across the city, ahead of the 75th Independence Day.

Sisodia said the government would install the Tricolour, like the one in Connaught Place, across the city so that at least one flag is visible every one to two kilometres to instill the spirit of patriotism in every mind. The Delhi government is creating sports infrastructure in the city. “Our dream is to host the Olympics in Delhi. We hope that we create the sports infrastructure and the culture to be considered a serious bidder 25 years down the line,” said Sisodia.

The government plans to collect Rs 43,000 crore tax to fund the proposed budget expenditure. In the 2020-21 budget, the government had proposed to collect Rs. 44,100 crore as tax revenue. However, due to the pandemic, the collection is expected to remain way below the target, the FM said. However, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta, called this budget “A pipe dream” and the Delhi Congress called it “visionless and directionless”.

“They had earlier promised to transform Delhi along the lines of London and make the Yamuna as clean as Thames but nothing happened on the ground. People of Delhi now understand that the Kejriwal government does not use the budget for development but for its freebee schemes so it benefits electorally,” Gupta said.

He also hit out at the government’s vision for Delhi in 2047: “While presenting the budget, Finance Minister Manish Sisodia talked of making Delhi like Singapore by 2047 and holding the Olympics in Delhi. This must be the first state budget in the country which shows dreams to people for 26 years later but is silent on today’s deteriorating pollution and public transport situation in Delhi.”

North MCD Mayor Jai Prakash said: “Last year too, the Delhi government had said it would give MCDs around Rs 5,500 crore — we only received Rs 3,000 crore. While the budget stated that Rs. 6,172 crore financial support will be given to local bodies in the next financial year.

“When Arvind came to power in Delhi, there was a promise that new hospitals, new schools and colleges would be opened… But not a single new school, college and hospital has been opened till date. Now, finance minister Manish Sisodia (is) showing the future of 25 years to the people of Delhi with help of false promises, DPCC chief Anil Chaudhary also tweeted.