Delhi budget aims to address price rise, unemployment: Arvind Kejriwal

Describing Delhi's 'Rozgar Budget' as innovative and bold, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said it aims to address the twin problems of price rise and unemployment.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia presented the "Rozgar Budget" in the Assembly on Saturday with an outlay of Rs 75,800 crore for the financial year 2022-23, focussing on creating 20 lakh jobs in five years by setting up an electronic city and promoting night economy, retail and wholesale markets in the national capital.

The budget size for the next financial year is 9.86 per cent higher than that of the previous year -- Rs 69,000 crore -- Sisodia said, adding that Delhi's economy is recovering gradually from the impact of COVID-19.

"Our first budget in 2014-15 was Rs 31,000 crore. Today, the budget is Rs 76,000 crore, around two-and-a-half times higher. This was possible because ours is a die-hard, honest government," he said during a press conference after the budget.

He said the budget is bold and innovative and aims to create 20 lakh jobs in five years.

Sisodia said the retail market policies announced in the budget, the emphasis on job creation and the measures for relief from price rise were drawn from public suggestions received by the government.