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Only containment areas should be red zones: Delhi CM Kejriwal
Kejriwal raised the issue during a point the fifth meeting since the national lockdown was first imposed on March 25 between Modi and the CMs of all Indian states via video conference.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider the recategorisation of Delhi’s designated Covid-19 hot spots – keeping containment areas in the city as “red zones” and declaring the rest of the city a “green zone” to restart economic activity.
At the moment, all 11 revenue districts in the Capital are “red zones”, and can therefore ease the minimum lockdown restrictions as per the guidelines issued by the Union home ministry on May 1, two days before the nationwide lockdown was extended till at least May 17.
These districts have 81 containment zones between them, where the restrictions are tighter, movement is restricted, and essential goods are home delivered by the administration.
Kejriwal urged the Union government that only these containment zones should fall in the red category.
“The Delhi government has adopted two policies now. Reviving the economy, as a priority, and focussing on containing the number of Covid-19 related deaths. The chief minister has urged the PM to consider turning Delhi into a green zone, except the containment areas, so that more relaxations can be implemented,” said an official in the chief minister’s office familiar with the matter who asked not to be named.
Kejriwal raised the issue during a point the fifth meeting since the national lockdown was first imposed on March 25 between Modi and the CMs of all Indian states via video conference.
On May 3, when the Delhi government issued an order to implement the restrictions and relaxations for the extended lockdown period under the Centre’s guidelines, Kejriwal made the same appeal in a video press briefing.
In addition, the chief minister also asked the Union government for the release of central funds.
“The finance commission has not released funds to Delhi. So, the chief minister also requested the PM to release funds to Delhi from the finance commission,” the official quoted above said.
Delhi has been consistently demanding the Centre to raise its share in central taxes. As per latest audit report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, the government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) has maintained a revenue surplus over five years from 2013-14 to 2017-18.
However, the grants in aid received by Delhi from the Centre decreased Rs 2,825 crore (2016-17) to Rs 2,184 crore (2017-18). This included grants from Centre in lieu of share in central taxes, which remained stagnant at Rs 325 crore since 2001-02 although the central tax collections have grown substantially since 2001-02, the report pointed out.
The Centre has maintained that the amount has remained the same since 2001 because Delhi is a Union Territory and it is not covered under the Central Finance Commission.
