CW Games challenge, dwindling revenue haunt Delhi govt in 2009

The euphoria of retaining power for the third consecutive term faded away during the course of the year for the Congress government in Delhi as it had to grapple with challenges like completing projects linked to the Commonwealth Games and dealing with dwindling revenue forcing it to hike bus fare and water tariff.

The euphoria of retaining power for the third consecutive term faded away during the course of the year for the Congress government in Delhi as it had to grapple with challenges like completing projects linked to the Commonwealth Games and dealing with dwindling revenue forcing it to hike bus fare and water tariff.

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Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit faced severe criticism for capital's tardy preparation for the mega sporting event next year and it became a single-point agenda for the government from September onwards to focus mainly on speeding up work on infrastructure projects worth over Rs 15,000 crore.

"My single point agenda now is to ensure successful hosting of the Commonwealth Games," Dikshit said.

Skyrocketing prices of vegetables and other essential commodities also kept the government on its toes as it opened over 100 special outlets across the city to sell pulses and wheat flour at subsidised rates to help the poor but failed to rein in the shooting prices in the retail market.

The government also felt the blues of the global financial crisis as the tax collection declined by Rs 400 crore in the first quarter of the current fiscal, prompting it to take up several measures to shore up its revenue generation.