House okays Rs 30,970cr vote-on-account

With the upcoming municipal elections preventing it from presenting regular budget, the Delhi government on Wednesday sought a vote-on-account to enable the government to carry on its business.

With the upcoming municipal elections preventing it from presenting regular budget, the Delhi government on Wednesday sought a vote-on-account to enable the government to carry on its business.

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Chief minister Sheila Dikshit, who holds the finance portfolio, asked for one-fourth of the total budget outlay for 2012-2013 fiscal of Rs 30,970 crore. Dikshit said the Planning Commission already approved the annual plan for Delhi for 2012-2013 at Rs 15,000 crore

while the government has estimated Rs 15811 crore as non-planned expenditure and Rs 159 crore of centrally sponsored schemes.

The annual plan for the next fiscal is 5.63% higher than that of the current fiscal plan (2011-2012) of Rs 14,200 crore, Dikshit said.

The government sought Rs 7742.50 crore (25% of the total budget) for various services and purposes, especially for smooth functioning of departments such as education, home, medical and public health, social welfare, industries, and urban development and public works.

The government sought an overall increase of Rs 703 crore in the revised budget, an increase of 2.59% of the original budget size of Rs 27,067 crore, in the budget of 2011-2012.

The BJP leaders tried to disrupt Dikshit's speech, protesting against the corruption and scarcity of water supply in the capital. Raising slogans, they trooped to near the speaker's podium for 40 minutes.