Dikshit's budget focuses on social sector projects

Presenting the 15th consecutive budget of her government, Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit today put focus on social sector projects in an election year when her party will approach voters for a record fourth term in the capital.

Presenting the 15th consecutive budget of her government, Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit Wednesday put focus on social sector projects in an election year when her party will approach voters for a record fourth term in the capital.

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In her budget speech in Delhi assembly, the last in her third term, she expressed confidence that the city government is on track to grow on nine% compared to five% of the national level.

She also outlined the development activities taken up by her government in several sectors, including infrastructure, health, water and transport.

This is the consecutive third term of Dikshit-led Congress government in the capital, which will go to polls in November.

"Delhi is on the track to grow on nine% compared to five% of national average... The per capita income in Delhi is Rs 2,01,083. It has gone up by five times since this government took over. In 1998 when we came to power it was Rs 40,060," she said.

Presenting a Rs 37,450 crore budget for the next fiscal, she said Rs 16,000 crore has been earmarked as plan outlay.

Out of the total plan outlay, she said, a whopping Rs 10,351 crore has been earmarked for social sector projects.

Dikshit said her government has constructed 65 flyovers during a period 2009-13, the first four years of her third term. Delhi will go to poll later this year.

On the health front, she said she wanted Delhi to be the health and wellbeing capital of the country with emphasis on the holistic development of the sector.

There is an increase of 33% in the allocation for health sector from Rs 1,872 crore to Rs 2,419 crore, she said.