Home ministry approves Delhi budget day after ‘stalling’ it on presentation eve

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday said it had asked the Delhi government to resubmit the budget.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday approved the Delhi government's budget, day after saying it had asked the Arvind Kejriwal government to resubmit it after considerations by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.

The home ministry had issued a statement after Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had alleged that the Centre had stalled the budget a day before it was to be presented in assembly.

“The Lieutenant Governor, Delhi, had raised certain concerns of administrative nature on the proposed Budget, keeping in view the fiscal interest of the National Capital Territory on which MHA vide its letter dated 17.03.2023 has requested GNCTD to resubmit the Budget addressing these concerns for taking further action”, the home ministry had said yesterday, this after Kejriwal alleged the Centre had stalled the budget.

On Tuesday, the Delhi chief minister wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him not to stall the budget. “For the first time in the country’s 75-year history, the budget of a state has been stopped. Why are you angry with us Delhiites? Please don’t stop the Delhi budget. The people of Delhi are requesting you with folded hands to pass our budget", he wrote in his letter.

Delhi finance minister Kailash Gahlot had hit out at the Centre, calling it an attempt to stop the governmnent from functioning. "What is the purpose of having an elected CM, cabinet, ministers if they can not even pass budget? It's an attempt to stop the government from functioning and harass people," Gahlot alleged.

The Delhi government was scheduled to be presented today in the assembly.