The Hindu : New Delhi News : With Walia ailing, Sheila likely to present Budget

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 22, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

With Walia ailing, Sheila likely to present Budget

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JUNE 21. The Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, has taken over the finance portfolio in the absence of her ailing Ministerial colleague, A.K. Walia, who recently underwent a by-pass surgery at the Escorts Heart Institute here. Ms. Dikshit will give shape and direction to the new budget that will spell out the priorities and policies of her Government and give a boost to the slowed down developmental activity.

Ms. Dikshit has taken charge of all the Departments held by Dr. Walia including Urban Development and Public Works Department giving her an opportunity to bring about some drastic changes in their functioning during this short period. As the budget session of the Delhi Assembly is likely to be held after July 15, the burden of preparing the budget and incorporating the directions and policies of the Government has fallen on the Chief Minister, a job that otherwise would have been handled by Dr. Walia. It is no secret that in the previous budgets also, Ms. Dikshit gave the overall direction and a last minute personal touch to the various proposals and incentives. However, this time round, Dr. Walia, who is recuperating from heart surgery, would not be able to take the workload of preparing the budget and it would be left to the Chief Minister to do the needful. "It is an important budget that would not only seek to fulfil the promises/ made in the manifesto but also give an indication of what the Government thinks and would like to do during the next four-and-a-half years. It would seek to consolidate on what has already been done and what should be done for the Capital to make it a world-class city,'' remarked a senior official.

In fact, it is being discussed in political and administrative circles that Ms. Dikshit might just opt to present the budget if Dr. Walia's health does not permit him to do so. Not only does the preparation of the budget require great energy, the presentation and reading it out in the Delhi Assembly too requires great effort. There is a feeling that Dr. Walia might not be able to take the burden of presenting the budget and take a stand on the budgetary proposals during the lengthy debate in the House. It is with this in mind that the idea was floated that Ms. Dikshit should present the budget and then see it through the entire Assembly session. However, this would not mean that Dr. Walia's portfolios would be changed when he returns to work. It is learnt that Dr. Walia was reluctant to go in for surgery during this crucial period as he feared that his absence might lead to a Cabinet reshuffle and he might end up losing the juicy but non-performing Departments.

Ms. Dikshit too has reportedly been unhappy with the working of the Finance Department and that is one of the reasons she opted to give the additional charge of Principal Secretary (Planning) to the Commissioner Sales Tax, R.K. Verma, a hard and efficient bureaucrat. It is a well-known fact that the Government has been uncomfortable with the Principal Secretary (Finance), M.K. Bezbaruah, who will retire at the end of next month. The reason why Mr. Verma has been brought to the Planning Department is because Ms. Dikshit would like to work on future infrastructure projects with someone whom she gets along well with and who understands her point of view. Mr. Verma had earned accolades for turning around the performance of the Sales Tax Department and putting it back on the rails.

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