Delhi budget highlights: AAP govt allocates Rs 100 crore for free Wi-fi across the capital | Latest News Delhi - Hindustan Times
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Delhi budget highlights: AAP govt allocates Rs 100 crore for free Wi-fi across the capital

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | BySweta Goswami, Soumya Pillai, Ashish Mishra
Mar 22, 2018 10:30 PM IST

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia began presenting the first ‘green budget’ by the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government on Thursday. Here are the updates.

The budget presented by the AAP government in the Delhi Assembly on Thursday focused on reducing pollution levels in the national capital by proposing various measures, including concession in registration of CNG cars.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and deputy CM Manish Sisodia arrive to present the Delhi government budget for 2018-19 in Delhi Assembly in New Delhi.(PTI File Photo)
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and deputy CM Manish Sisodia arrive to present the Delhi government budget for 2018-19 in Delhi Assembly in New Delhi.(PTI File Photo)

Presenting estimates for the 2018-19 fiscal, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said this is the first ‘Green budget’ of the government aimed at effective containment of pollution in the city.

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On Wednesday, Sisodia had presented the government’s report card by highlighting the targets met by 14 of its 34 departments for a period of nine months from April to December, 2017. Road infrastructure and public transport are the two sectors where people have benefitted the least from Delhi government, results of the city’s first outcome budget revealed.

Here are the updates:

2:30pm: Delhi govt allocates Rs 13,997 crore, which is 26% of the total budget, for the education sector.

2pm: The AAP government allocated Rs 6,729 crore for the health sector in its budget for 2018-19 fiscal presented in the Delhi Assembly and announced the launch of a ‘health insurance for all’ scheme.

1:45pm: The project to install CCTV cameras across Delhi will be completed by June, 2019, according to the government.

1:42pm: Govt announces that construction of an elevated road parallel to Yamuna between Signature Bridge and Kalindi Kunj will start this year.

1:40pm: Delhi budget allocations -- Rs 100 crore for free Wi-fi scheme in Delhi. Rs 10 crore for Smart Krishi Yojna for farmers

1:35pm: AAP allocates Rs 1,500 crore for the development of unauthorized colonies. Last year’s allocation in this connection was Rs 846 crore, says Sisodia.

1:32pm: The state finance minister says in his budget speech that Barapullah Phase-2 and Phase-3 elevated roads are likely to be completed by the end of March 2018 and December 2018 respectively.

Expenditure on Barapullah phase-3 is expected to be Rs 1,260 crore.

1:30pm: Amid row over the sealing drive, Delhi govt announces an allocation of Rs 100 crore for development of markets. Money will be spent in coordination with various market associations

1:25pm: Internal sewer line installation in 162 colonies to be completed by 2020. It will benefit 13 lakh people, says AAP govt.

RS 2,777 crore allocation for water sector. In 2017-18, the same was 2,107.9 crore.

1:20pm: Allocation to the health sector in 2018-19 is Rs 6729 crore. Mohalla clinics and polyclinics will get 403 crore. Rs 450 crore for new hospitals and redeveloping existing hospitals.

In 2017-18, the allocation was Rs 5,736 crore

1:15pm: Aam Aadmi Party government allocates Rs 175 crore to install 1.2 lakh CCTV cameras in government schools, says education/finance minister.

1:05pm: Other schemes:

Rs 10 crore for civil defence training of girl students

Rs 35 crore allocation for two schemes to promote sportsperson in Delhi.

Additional Rs 20 crore to promote sports in every assembly constituency

Rs 15 crore allocated to Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights to evaluate and rank government schools

1pm: School management committee (SMCs) to get a fund of Rs 5 lakh for expenses on reaching innovation in schools.

12:50pm: The govt will introduce parenting workshops, apart from ‘happiness curriculum’, education minister Manish Sisodia says, refers to the alleged suicide of a Class 9 girl to explain the importance of the two programmes.

12:45pm: Delhi govt to introduce solar farms to harness renewable energy in agricultural land. The PWD, on pilot basis, will install solar panels over 16 km length of cycle tracks, Sisodia says.

12:40pm: 1000 electric buses to be brought in Delhi, apart from that 905 electric feeder buses that will be introduced for last mile connectivity.

12:35pm: ‘Make Delhi Kikar free’ is another campaign that the Delhi govt will run.

12:32pm: Delhi budget has a 26-point programme under the city’s first ‘Green Budget’.

12:30pm: Govt gives a special allocation of Rs 1000 crore to repair roads. Even those which come under the MCDs will be covered under this. Sisodia requests L-G Anil Baijal to give the government NOC from civic bodies.

12:25pm: Total Budget outlay for 2018-19 is Rs 53,000 crore. Last year, it was Rs 48,000 crore.

12:15pm: Instead of a trickle down model, Delhi govt has applied a ‘trickle up’ model so that our schemes directly reach the poor, says finance minister.

12:10pm: Manish Sisodia presents the Delhi Budget 2018 in Delhi Assembly.

“The budget estimates for 2018-19 are pegged at Rs 53000 crore which is 19.45 per cent more than the revised budget estimates of Rs 44,370 crore for the previous financial year,” Sisodia said.

11:45am: Deputy CM and state finance minister Manish Sisodia arrives to present the Delhi budget at the Legislative Assembly in Old Secretariat.

Govt’s proposed schemes

The Delhi govt’s two schemes -- waiving road tax on electric vehicles and creating solar farms -- will be part of the city’s first ‘Green Budget’ that will seek to control air pollution in the national capital.

• The government is hoping that the owners of some of the 6.7 million scooters and motorcycles in the city will move to electric vehicles on the strength of this incentive, an official told HT.

• The budget is also likely to introduce the concept of solar farming where interested farmers can get solar panels installed on their land at no cost by empanelled companies and earn money by selling a part of the electricity generated.

Outcome report

The Delhi government’s report card, presented on Wednesday, indicated good performances in the education sector, social welfare and by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board -- highlighting education and healthcare as the core sectors of progress. However, experts also said the Delhi govt is lagging behind when it comes to tangible projects like infrastructure.

Unveiling 'Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!
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