BUDGET 2024-25: At Rs 1,168 cr, budget for Delhi stagnant; Atishi slams Centre

Samad Hoque

New Delhi, July 23

With the last budget before the Capital goes to the polls next year, Delhi did not find any mention in Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget speech on Tuesday. The budget for the city remained unchanged at Rs 1,168.01 crore for the 2024-25 financial year.

Delhi Cabinet Minister Atishi had demanded a budgetary allocation for infrastructural developments undertaken by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

The allocated budget included Rs 951 crore from the Central Government, Rs 200 crore as additional Central assistance for externally aided projects — Chandrawal Water Treatment Plant, Rs 15 crore under grants towards contribution to the Union Territory Disaster Response Fund and Rs 2 crore for enhanced compensation to 1984 riots victims.

The national capital did not receive anything from the Centre under grants as share in Central Taxes and Duties.

Delhi Finance Minister Atishi said that despite paying Rs 2.32 lakh crore in taxes, the BJP-led Centre did not give a single penny as its share in Central Taxes.

“Delhi is the growth engine of the country. It pays more than Rs 2 lakh crore in income tax to the Centre and Rs 25,000 crore as the central GST. The people of Delhi have been betrayed by the Union Budget,” she said.

“Despite paying Rs 2.32 lakh crore in taxes to the Centre, Delhi was asking for just Rs 20,000 crore, which is just 0.4 per cent of the Union Budget. But no money was given as its share in central taxes or to the MCD,” Atishi added.

She challenged the BJP to show even one thing done for Delhi in the last 11 budgets presented by its government at the Centre.

Criticising the BJP, she said, “In 11 years, the BJP government at the Centre did not do even one thing for Delhi. The Union Budget has shown to the people of Delhi that the BJP has done nothing for them. The BJP-ruled Centre presented this budget to save itself and it is not for the people of the country.”

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said the budget was one of disappointment. “It’s a ‘save the government – increase inflation’ budget. Farmer’s MSP is not doubled. Employee does not get OPS. The youth will remain trapped in the Agniveer scheme. Women will continue to bear the brunt of inflation. The Modi government has brought a budget that will disappoint every section of the country,” he said in a post on X.

‘No money given as share in Central taxes’

Despite paying Rs 2.32 lakh crore in taxes to the Centre, Delhi was asking for just Rs 20,000 crore, which is just 0.4 per cent of the Union Budget. But no money was given as its share in the Central taxes or to the MCD. — Atishi, Delhi Cabinet Minister