New Delhi, March 20
Presenting her 15th consecutive annual Budget for the year 2013-14, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today spared Delhites from extra burden of taxes while proposing a Budget of Rs 37,450 crore, which she termed 'tax-free'.

In an attempt to woo voters in the election year, the government has made an attempt to focus on social services sector as it receives the highest priority in terms of budgetary allocation of Rs 10,359 crore, which is 65 per cent of the Plan outlay.

The prices of LED lights, 'desi ghee', chilly spray, organic colours and footwear are slated to come down with a proposed reduction of the rate of VAT on these commodities.

While proposing the Budget in the Delhi Assembly today, Dikshit said that the Capital has registered a growth of nine per cent as against the national average of five per cent. "The contribution of Delhi to national GDP is 3.8 per cent," she said.

The Budget has proposed the highest allocation of 24 per cent to the transport sector which includes 8,000 new autorickshaws on the lines of Radio Taxi, procurement of 625 low-floor and 1,100 semi-low-floor buses, renovation of Sarai Kale Khan and Anand Vihar bus terminals and construction of monorail corridor in East Delhi.

Transport sector is followed by health with a budget of Rs 2,490 crore which is 15.56 per cent of the total approved outlay, education Rs 1,981 crore, urban development Rs 1,840 crore and water Rs 1,665 crore.

Under non-Plan outlay, the government has proposed a financial support of Rs 1,000 per month to transgenders. Pension to the differently abled and women in distress has been hiked to Rs 1,500 from Rs 1,000 per month and grant-in-aid to the Haj Committee increased to Rs 2 crore from Rs 1 crore.

Speaking on women security, Dikshit said that they have exempted chilly spray, a self-defence device, from VAT.

"More new areas for employment to women are being explored by providing them with suitable training. Training for the female auto drivers is one such area," she said.

The number of services under the ambit of 'Right of Citizens to Timebound Delivery Services Act' has also been increased to 200 from 116. Citizens will be enabled to track their applications through e-monitoring system.

BUDGET 2013-14 PROPOSES Seven new hospitals and nine new dispensaries Residential school for SC/ST/OBC/minorities students Two new hostels, one each for the visually impaired university boys and girls One new water treatment plant of 31 MGD at Palla GPS in all the autos and taxis 'Tobacco Cessation Clinics' in all the districts 11 km Monorail Corridor from Shastri Park to Trilokpuri A fund of Rs 5 cr proposed for the welfare of journalists in Delhi

New Delhi, March 20
The Delhi Government Budget for 2013-2014 tabled in the Assembly today by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is like "old wine in a new bottle", reacted the leader of the Opposition V. K. Malhotra.

The entire Budget is full of last year's assurances and achievements, he said.

Water and power tariffs, stamp duty and circle rates have already gone up manifold. The government had assured the citizens to reduce the prices of essential goods and services. But no such relief has come through, said Malhotra.

The Chief Minister had also promised to increase the number of subsidized cylinders, but it was not mentioned in the Budget. The government has failed to check inflation. The prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed. The common man is more interested in the household budget, said the RWA Federation.

On the other hand, the All India Tax Advocate Forum (AITAF) praised the 2013-14 Budget of the Delhi Government for taking measures to simplify the taxation system.

The Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Jai Prakash Agarwal hailed the Budget as progressive and people-oriented which would change the face of Delhi.

Welcoming the Budget, the Parliamentary Secretary to CM and Congress MLA Mukesh Sharma stated, "This is the first-ever Budget wherein no new tax has been imposed. Hence, it may be termed a tax-free Budget," he said.

New Delhi, March 20
The Delhi Government in its annual budget for the year 2013-14 proposed to make the taxation system simpler and streamline the tax administration.

Announcing a growth of 21 per cent from the collection of taxes, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said that the government will focus on making the process friendlier for tax payers and the collectors. "All the offices will be made centrally computerized and the payer will not need to visit the department personally," she said.

It has introduced a new facility of online registration under the Delhi Value Added Tax Act and the Central Sales Tax Act. The facility is expected to reduce the physical interface between the taxman and the tax payer. The entire chain of events, including returns, payments of tax, downloading of Central Statutory Forms, will be made online.

In a relief to small traders, the threshold limit for registration under VAT has been proposed to be raised from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh. It was also proposed to keep a uniform tax period for all the dealers irrespective of their turnover.

"The dealer will now have to file only four returns instead of 12 returns," said Dikshit.

To encourage voluntary tax compliance, Dikshit proposed to mitigate penalties.

"Raids and inspections should be an exception. To encourage dealers to voluntarily admit their tax liability, we have proposed to mitigate penalties up to 80 per cent of the admitted tax if they deposit their tax dues," she said.

New Delhi, March 20
After the gangrape of a 23-year-old girl in a private bus on December 16, the city traffic police has been studying weak points in the transportation system in the city.

The police has discovered that many private vehicles are illegally picking up passengers on the outskirts of the city. These vehicles are overcrowded, prone to accidents and are vulnerable from the crime point of view.

With an aim to provide a safe mode of transportation for the public, the traffic police has written to the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to provide its bus services in the remotest areas of the national Capital.

The suggestion was made because besides private automobiles, even Grameen Seva vehicles are plying in the outskirts of Delhi, where they have not been permitted to operate, according to Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Anil Shukla. The Grameen Seva is a private transportation system, which has been given a license to operate by the Delhi government's transport department. These vehicles are like mini-buses, which are over-crowded with passengers. Because of rash driving, many accidents have taken place.

The police's suggestion to the DTC for "route rationalization" of their buses is part of a coordination programme between the two organizations. Shukla said, "We are trying to achieve a better and reliable mode of transport for the public in the areas where they have not been able to access it. Some of the areas where we have requested the DTC to provide their bus services are trans-Yamuna, Peeragarhi, Bawana and Kanjhawala."

In view of the safety of women, the traffic police began a gender-sensitisation programme for the DTC bus drivers and staff last month. "We are teaching them to be polite to women passengers. We have been getting a good response from the DTC bus staff," said Shukla.

The police is also training the DTC bus drivers about "lane discipline". They are being taught to drive on the extreme left side of a road. This will facilitate the smooth flow of traffic. The traffic police has also thought of installing "bus boxes" running parallel to the roads. "A bus will only be allowed to stop at the box for passengers to board or de-board the vehicle," said the official.

New Delhi, March 19
It has been three days since the farmers gathered at Parliament Street for a 'mahapanchayat' under the banner of Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers Movements - the Bhartiya Kisan Union, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and the National Alliance of Peoples Movements here.

Firm on their demands, they rejected the government's revised Land Acquisition Bill, calling it 'pro-corporate' while urging for fair remunerative prices of crops and minimum assured income through Farmers Income Guarantee Act/Farmers Income Commission.

Objecting to the government's bill, they also called for a moratorium on land acquisitions until the government comes up with a white paper on the lands acquired and status of resettlement and rehabilitation of those affected.

"Prices of everything have gone up since 1966, but the income of farmers has not been raised in tune with the conditions. If our demands are not met, we will gherao Parliament," said Chandram Malik from Sonepat, Haryana.

Farmers rued the fact that since 2007, the government has failed to implement Professor MS Swaminathan recommendations, such as ensuring a minimum support price which should be at least 50 per cent more than the average cost of production.

New Delhi, March 20
A 20-year-old girl who sought directions from a man was allegedly raped by him this afternoon near a crematorium located close to the Red Fort.

The victim is a resident of Jahangirpuri. Rahul (22) was caught while trying to flee after allegedly raping the girl. He is a resident of Kashmere Gate.

The girl had reached near the Red Fort and lost her way. She sought directions from Rahul who was sitting in a rickshaw. He told the girl that he would take her to her destination. The man then took the girl to an isolated area near the crematorium. They both left the rickshaw and he took her near some bushes, where he allegedly raped her.

A police control room (PCR) vehicle heard the screams of the victim and rushed to the site. They caught the accused, when he was trying to flee.

The PCR staff arranged clothes for the victim and handed her over to the local police. She was taken to the Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital in Civil Lines, where a medical examination confirmed the crime.