‘Hooliganism’: Kejriwal alleges Centre stalled Delhi budget on presentation eve

The Delhi government and the Centre have been at loggerheads over several issues.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday alleged the Centre has blocked the Delhi budget which is scheduled to be presented before the assembly on Tuesday.

“You will be shocked to know about something which has happened for the first time in India's history. Tomorrow, the Delhi government is presenting its budget before the Assembly. The Centre has stalled our budget this evening. The Delhi government employees, doctors and teachers won't get their salaries tomorrow. It is hooliganism”, Kejriwal told television channel News18.

The last Budget of the Kejriwal-led government was presented in the Delhi assembly on March 26, 2022. (PTI)

The Delhi government and Centre have been loggerheads over several issues, the most recent one being the arrest of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the Delhi excise policy case. The Aam Aadmi Party dispensation has alleged that the Centre is carrying out vendetta politics against Sisodia to divert attention from the Adani issue. The AAP leader's judicial custody has been extended till April 3.

On Monday, the Delhi government tabled its economic survey before the assembly. According to the survey, the national capital's per capita income surged by 14.18 per cent to ₹4,44,768 in the financial year 2022-23 as compared to ₹3,89,529 in the previous FY. Delhi also registered a growth of 36 per cent in tax collection during the 2021-22 (provisional) as compared to the negative growth of 19.53 in the financial year 2020-21.

The Delhi government survey stated that it has the highest budgetary allocation for the education sector among all states at 20.5 per cent. According to the survey, the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University increased its intake capacity to 7,933 (during 2022-23) as compared to 6,258 during 2021-22.