The Union Territory of Delhi was allocated Rs 1,168 crore in the 2024-25 interim Budget on Thursday, the same as in 2023-24, with the AAP Government accusing the Centre of giving it “step-motherly” treatment.  The transfer to Delhi from the Union Home Ministry included Rs 1,168 crore under the revenue head and Rs 0.01 crore under the capital head. In the 2022-23 budget, Delhi was allocated Rs 960 crore. It was increased to Rs 1,168.01 crore in 2023-24 and remains the same for 2024-25. There were no grants in lieu of share in central taxes and duties for Delhi. It was Rs 325 crore in the 2022-23 budget. In the interim budget for Delhi, Rs 2 crore was also allocated as enhanced compensation to the victims of the 1984 riots.  Grants towards contribution to the UT Disaster Response Fund allocation was Rs 15 crore and an additional central assistance of Rs 200 for externally aided projects (Chandrawal water treatment plant) was also there like the previous year budget.

The grants in return of Delhi’s share in the pool of central taxes and duties was clubbed in the “central assistance to Union Territories” in the budget estimates of 2023-24 and has remained so this year, the budget document said.

The allocation under central assistance to Delhi in the budget 2024-25 estimates was Rs 951 crore like the previous budget for 2023-24. It is provided for financing the schemes of the Delhi government.

Delhi Finance Minister and AAP leader Atishi alleged that this budget has once again proved that the BJP-led central government is actually a government of hollow promises and “step-motherly” treatment has been meted out to Delhi.              

“Delhi has a share of Rs 15,000 crore in central taxes but it has only been allocated Rs 1,100 crore by the Centre. Like every time, we have been given step-motherly treatment. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has not been given a single penny,” she said.  “The government has provided central assistance of Rs 15,000 crore to Rs 16,000 crore to urban local bodies but no allocations has been made for the MCD. They do not have money for the Delhi government or the MCD,” Atishi said.

On Sitharaman’s announcement that the government has decided to enhance the target for creating ‘Lakhpati Didis’ from two crore to three crore, the AAP leader said that at a time, when “women are worried about atta, dal and buying LPG cylinders, this is a huge joke that women will be made ‘lakhpatis’”. “Where are jobs and business opportunities for women?” she asked.

The ‘Lakhpati Didi’ scheme is aimed at training women in self-help groups (SHGs) so that they can earn a sustainable income of at least Rs 1 lakh per annum.Targeting the central government, Atishi said, “I want to tell the Centre and the BJP to stop ‘jumlebaazi’. The entire country has seen how in the last 10 years, you have done nothing to curb price rise, unemployment and bring about the country’s economic growth.”         “This budget has once again proved that the Modi government is actually a ‘jumlewali’ government (a government of hollow promises). There is no relief in cost of LPG cylinder and no relief in income tax slabs. There is nothing for creation of jobs. There is no relief on GST on food items like atta, pulses,” she said. Atishi welcomed the hike in the defence budget to Rs 6.21 lakh crore for 2024-25 from last year’s Rs 5.94 lakh crore.

She said the defence forces should get the best of facilities but stressed that the allocated funds should reach them.

“We had seen how one jawan raised questions over the quality of food served to them. The food quality did not improve but the jawan lost his job. We hope that the bravehearts who guard our borders get those funds in reality,” she added.

Delhi Congress President Arvinder Singh Lovely said that the Modi Government’s last interim Budget before the Lok Sabha elections was totally disappointing as it was silent on the the worst affected sectors like jobs, employment and price rise. He said that the Budget was a clear indication that BJP’s “Achhe Din” was not for the common people of the country, but a few chosen ones.

Lovely said that it was disappointing that the BJP Government’s last budget before the Lok Sabha elections have neglected employment generation, small and medium industrialists and traders, factory owners, women, youth, labour and farmers who don’t figure in the scheme of things of the BJP Government.

He said it was foolish to expect anything new from the Modi Government which had done nothing for the welfare of the struggling masses for the past 10 years.Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri showered effusive praise on the interim budget presented by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, the last before the Lok Sabha polls this year. 

 Bidhuri said that this budget presents a picture of the way the country is moving on the path of development under the leadership of PM Modi. The budget also has taken a revolutionary step by proposing a housing scheme for the middle class, he said. The BJP leader said the budget accurately captures PM Modi’s unwavering pursuit of inclusive development centred around people.

Bidhuri said that the budget has focused on women, poor, youth and farmers. “Sabka Sath Aur Sabka Vishwas” in the Modi government is clearly reflected in this budget.  “It has been told in the budget that in the country under Mudra Yojana, loans worth Rs 30 crore were distributed to women in 10 years, one crore youth were given training, free ration was provided to 80 crore poor people and 4 crore farmers were benefited through crop insurance scheme.