The AAP government was supposed to present the Delhi Budget to the legislature on Tuesday, but was prevented from doing so after the MHA requested clarity on the distribution of funds for infrastructure and ads. The Union Home Ministry cleared the Delhi budget on Tuesday as a result of a clarification from the Aam Admi Party (AAP) government, clearing the way for its presentation in the Assembly. The AAP government then presented the budget today.
The budget was accepted “without any change,” according to Delhi CM Kejriwal, who questioned the practice of forwarding it to the Government for approval yesterday. The AAP government was supposed to present the Delhi Budget to the legislature on Tuesday, but was prevented from doing so after the MHA requested clarity on the distribution of funds for infrastructure and ads. On the day of the budget presentation, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed that Delhi residents are “missing” Manish Sisodia and promised that the work he had begun would go at twice the rate. This time, Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot, who took over the finance department following the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia, will submit the budget.
Manish Sisodia, who was arrested by the CBI in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam case, has been delivering the AAP government’s budget in Delhi since the party took control. “Today Delhi’s budget will be presented. Delhiites are missing Manish ji very much today. But the work started by him will not stop. The work done by him will be carried forward with double the speed,” Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.
After receiving explanation from the AAP administration, the Federal Home Ministry on Tuesday approved the Delhi Budget, allowing for its presentation in the Assembly. The BJP claimed on Tuesday that the Kejriwal administration delayed providing the clarifications requested by the Ministry of Home Affairs for three days before accusing the Center of gaining “cheap publicity” despite the fact that the issue has sparked a new dispute between the AAP government and the Centre.
Speaking in the Assembly, however, Kejriwal asserted that the Centre’s objection was a break with precedent and a constitutional assault. “The Delhi government wants to work and not fight. We are tired of fighting and it serves no one. We want to work together with the prime minister, we do not want any tussle,” the chief minister stated. He mentioned the Centre had raised four queries. “We replied to them without any other change in the budget. Now, they have given approval to it which proves that their ego was satisfied that the Delhi government bowed down,” Arvind Kejriwal stated.
The AAP leader made fun of the Centre and LG office for objecting that the budget for 2023–24 had a bigger provision for advertising and a relatively lower provision for infrastructure by claiming that “uneducated” persons were posted from top to bottom. “They said advertisement allocation was higher than that for infrastructure. Uneducated people have been sitting from top to bottom. Which is more – Rs 20,000 crore for infrastructure or Rs 500 crore for advertisement?” stated the chief minister in the Assembly.
The MHA’s approval of the budget, he said, was “better late than never,” and he questioned why there was a need to raise a fuss about it. Kejriwal further argued that the Lt Governor has no right “to voice any complaints, make observations or write anything on a file”, since he was bound by the aid and advice of the Cabinet of the elected government.