The Hindu : New Delhi News : BJP flays Sheila over Budget share

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New Delhi

BJP flays Sheila over Budget share

Staff Reporter

Pro-people and balanced, asserts Congress

‘CM should meet Union Finance Minister with all-party team’
Congress passes resolution thanking UPA govt.

NEW DELHI: Describing the Union Budget’s allocation for Delhi and the National Capital Region as only a drop in the ocean, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party president Harsh Vardhan has held the Union Finance Minister and the Delhi Chief Minister responsible for it.

Dr. Vardhan charged that the Sheila Dikshit Government had asked for only Rs.1,240.02 crore from the Union Government whereas the Capital actually needed Rs.45,000 crore for providing a sewer system for the city’s 1,600 unauthorised colonies and 364 villages.

Pointing out that the Budget had made a provision for Rs.1,500 crore for the Delhi Metro railway, Dr. Vardhan said: “From this amount, Rs.900 crore would be spent on repayment of loan to Japan. Only Rs.600 crore would be available for extension of metro rail. This will hinder the progress of metro. Only Rs.634 crore has been allotted for the Commonwealth Games and Rs.1,060 crore for the development of the National Capital Region.”

Stating that the Delhi Government’s priority was the Commonwealth Games, Dr. Vardhan said the Chief Minister was not concerned about the development of the NCR. “For the development of Delhi’s infrastructure only Rs.375 crore has been given, whereas Rs.10,000 crore is needed for providing power and drinking water in the Capital,” he added.

He demanded that the Chief Minister meet the Union Finance Minister with an all-party delegation and ask for sufficient allocation of funds for Delhi.

Meanwhile, the Executive Committee of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee on Saturday passed a resolution thanking United Progressive Alliance chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the “excellent pro-people and balanced Budget” .

Placing the resolution at the meeting, DPCC president J. P. Agarwal said the people of the country were extremely pleased with the Union Budget which had carefully taken note of the needs and aspirations of each section of people without ignoring any sector and with farmers and salaried class getting huge benefits.

The resolution presented by Mr. Agarwal was endorsed by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Delhi Assembly Speaker Choudhary Prem Singh.

Ms. Dikshit said: “Sonia Gandhi, who is loved by the people of India, has helped formulate an excellent budget with her guidance which has not only brought smiles to the faces of all sections and categories of people but would also quicken the pace of development in the country.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Chaudhary Prem Singh said the Budget had brought hope and confidence to people as they could now look up to a bright future.

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