New Delhi, March 16
In the Union Budget announced today, the central assistance to the Delhi government has been slashed. This year, the Centre has allocated Rs 1,100 crore as assistance to Delhi, Rs 157.86 crore less than the last year's Rs 1257.86 crore.

Out of the total allocation, the Delhi government has been given Rs 700 crore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) while Rs 281.75 crore has been given as normal assistance.

The allocation to the city government under JNNURM in 2011-12 was Rs 900 crore while the normal assistance was Rs 252.70 crore.

Delhi has also been given Rs 48.60 crore as allocation under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP).

In the Budget, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has proposed an allocation of Rs 10 crore for building houses for the economically weaker sections under Rajiv Awas Yojna. A separate allocation of Rs 242 crore in the plan budget has been made for the NCR Planning Board that functions under the Ministry of Urban Development. An additional amount of Rs 60 crore has also been given to the board. The previous year, it was given Rs 560 crore. The NCR Board is responsible for implementing projects in the national capital region.

Reacting to the Budget, an official of the board said, "From the allocations, it seems that the Centre is satisfied with the development of the NCR and does not want any further development works there and so has slashed the allotment."

Meanwhile, a senior official in the Delhi government said allocations were on the expected lines and that the government was not worried over cut in assistance. He pointed out that the city government's tax collection in the current year had been quite satisfactory.

The revenue collection by the Delhi government in the first 10 months of the current fiscal went up by over Rs 2,800 crore compared to the corresponding period in 2010-11, according to the official.

The government has collected Rs 16,268 crore between April, 2011 and January 31, 2012, as against Rs 13,467 crore in the same period the last fiscal year.

New Delhi, March 16
The Budget for the fiscal year 2012-13 presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today failed to bring much cheers to common man who is already reeling under the pressure spiraling inflation.

The household budget will increase with inflated mobile bills and other expenses followed by hike in service tax — Akhilesh Bose, charted accountant

Buying gold will become a distant dream. We cannot afford it even at current price — Jasjeet Mudgal, manager at an MNC

For salaried employees, the only respite is being viewed in the form of tax exemption for both men and women, which have now been brought under "general" category and will be exempted from tax with income up to Rs 2 lakh.

However, the hike in taxes across most services, including service tax which has been increased from 10 per cent to 12 per cent, has disappointed the public as it will result in inflated bills.

"Though there has been a relief in the increase of tax slab as it would amount to annual saving of Rs 2,000 but on the other hand the household budget will also increase with inflated mobile bills and other expenditures followed by hike in service tax," said Akhilesh Bose, a charted accountant.

In fact, per month expenditure of common man will increase manifold than the savings from tax exemption, he added.

The second blow has come in the form of hike in gold jewellery. The hike in duty on gold imports has been raised from 2 to 4 per cent and 1 per cent excise duty will be levied on 30 per cent of the invoice value for all forms of jewellery.

"Buying gold will now become a distant dream. We can not afford it even at the current prices. The situation will become unimaginable for people who will have to marry off their daughters," said Jasjeet Mudgal, a manager at a multi-national company.

However, according to jewellery shop owners, the hike on gold imports will have a nominal impact on prices. "It would hardly affect the demand for gold jewellery, which has remained strong despite a 32 per cent increase prices over one year," Puneet Gupta, jewellery shop owner in Central Delhi.

"But the government needs to ensure that the hike in import duty on gold do not encourage illegal imports, which had fallen considerably after rates were reduced some years ago," added Gupta.

Whereas, few people are also glad to know that some goods will be available at cheaper price. "If you look at the positive side of the budget, consumer appliances like televisions will be cheaper and so will be lifesaving drugs," said Shelesh Misra, marketing executive.

New Delhi, March 16
The Union Budget 2012-13 proposed by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today may have received lukewarm response from across sectors, but when it comes to the health aspect the picture looks encouraging.

Reduction of service tax on six life-saving drugs and import duties on probiotics and iodine bring cheer to all those concerned while the budgetary allocations falling into the kitty of various centrally managed hospitals.

As always, the country's premier research institute AIIMS managed a good share in this year's health Budget with a 6 per cent hike to Rs 1,124 crore from the last fiscal revised Budget Rs 1,062.35 crore.

The amount proposed for Safdarjung Hospital is Rs 363.55 crore.

In case of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, the budgetary outlay stands at Rs 253.65 crore as against last year's revised allocation of 231.25 crore while for its sister concern Dr RML Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, the allocation was raised from the last time's revised amount of Rs 12.86 crore to 16.10 crore.

Lady Hardinge Medical College and Smt Sucheta Kripalani Hospital have received a decent allocation of Rs 198 and for Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital the estimated expenditure has been kept at Rs 55.4 crore.

Besides, the estimated Budget earmarked for the tertiary care health centres, the government also targets to upgrade seven more such healthcare institutions on the line of AIIMS.

New Delhi, March 16
Delhi Metro, the lifeline of national capital, has been allocated funds for the construction of its Phase III project.

A sum of Rs 2,200 crore has been allocated for the DMRC in the 2012-2013 Budget announced by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today. While the central government would infuse Rs 1,112.57 crore as its equity, Rs 749.12 crore would come through assistances, the minister said.

While Rs 2,116.69 crore has been allotted to the DMRC, another Rs 100 crore has been allotted for the construction of the much-awaited Fairdabad corridor that will connect Delhi with Faridabad.

Delhi Metro officials said they were satisfied with the allocation as it was on the expected lines.

New Delhi, March 16
The Delhi police has been allotted over Rs 3,867.33 crore in the 2012-2013 Budget announced today. Major part of the allocation is for the construction of residential units and office buildings for police personnel.

The city police has been allocated Rs 41.5 crore in the plan head while Rs 3,563.33 crore for non-plan expenditures. Another Rs 62 crore has been allocated for the construction of residential units for the Delhi police personnel, up from the last year's Rs 10 crore. Allocation for the construction of office buildings has also been increased from last year's allocation of Rs 21 crore to a whopping Rs 198.50 crore.

The allocation also includes Rs 20 crore for the installation of traffic and communication network in the NCR mega cities.

Also, Rs 3 crore has been allocated for the upgradation of police training and Rs 1 crore has been allocated for the induction of latest technologies for the force.

New Delhi, March 16
After the death of the two-year-old baby girl last night, the Delhi police has placed serious charges against the teenage girl, who had admitted the infant in a battered condition at the AIIMS Trauma Center in January 18.

Earlier the teenager was presented before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) she was charged under Sections 324 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 325 (voluntarily causing grievous injury), IPC. After a medical report confirmed that the baby had suffered major injuries that were caused by the teenager, the police booked her under Section 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), IPC. When the infant died last night, the police further charged the teenager under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), IPC.

The girl was a victim of sexual abuse before Rajkumar, the man whom she was staying with, placed the baby under her care.

The police will also charge several accused who are also responsible for the baby's death, under Section 317 (abandoning the baby), IPC.

After the postmortem, the body has been handed over to her mother Munni Khatoon and was buried at a graveyard in Daryaganj in the evening.