The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, in its maiden Budget on Thursday, gave a major thrust to education and health sectors. Finance Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced a Rs 253-crore 'Swaraj Fund' for citizens to decide on the developmental priorities in their respective Assembly constituencies. The Budget, prepared with direct participation of people from 11 constituencies through 'mohalla sabhas', allotted Rs 20 crore each in this financial year to these areas. While water and power subsidies will continue with the government, allocating Rs 1,690 crore, e- rickshaw owners will be entitled to a one-time subsidy of Rs 15,000. Students and youth will benefit from free WiFi in all government and private colleges and in rural areas. It has allocated Rs 50 crore for this. Students can avail up to Rs 10-lakh educational loan. The youth had been a major vote bank for the party.
To coordinate the works under the Swaraj Fund and the MLA Fund, a new agency "Delhi Urban Development Agency (DUDA)" will be set up in revenue districts. It might be recalled that Purna Swaraj or devolution of power was one of the main poll planks of the party and Sisodia said the pilot project would gradually be unveiled in the remaining 59 constituencies. Marking a 106 per cent hike in the plan expenditure for education, from Rs 2,219 crore last year to Rs 4,570 crore this financial year, Sisodia said education is the first priority of the AAP government and 236 new schools will be set up of and 50 'model schools' will be developed with modern facilities. Health being another priority sector, 500 "mohalla clinics" will be set up in all parts of Delhi in the current financial year and three new hospitals with total bed capacity of 1,800 are planned at Nangloi, Siraspur and Madipur. Apart from free water and subsidised power, health and education were priorities of the AAP in its 70-point action plan.
The minister announced that 5,500 new auto-rickshaw permits would be released for plying in the National Capital Region.
In an unusual step that was cheered by BJP members in the House, the government announced a financial support of Rs 5,908 crore to the BJP-ruled Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in 2015-16 and gave a moratorium on loan repayment. The AAP is reportedly gearing up to contest the 2017 municipal polls and would not like to be seen leaving Delhi citizens in the lurch. Sisodia, who praised the previous Congress government, allocated Rs 5,085 crore for the transport sector. For the business community, the government will set up a special cell in the finance department for putting in place a single-window clearance system. A high powered committee will be coming with concrete proposals by next month.
