Delhi budget may focus on social sector, development

With an eye on the Assembly polls slated for next year, the Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, is likely to put special focus on the social sector and development when she presents the annual budget of her government for the second consecutive year tomorrow.

The budget, the second since Ms Dikshit has been handling the finance portfolio, is expected to be a populist one and a bid to regain the Congress’ support base for the Assembly elections in the wake of the party’s crushing defeat in the municipal polls.

“The focus of the Budget is likely to be on social sector development,” said a top official in the Government.

In the budget, being tabled on the first day of the budget session, Ms Dikshit is expected to announce a cut in value-added tax on petrol to provide some relief to the people from the substantial hike in price of the fuel.

With the Congress identifying losing support base of people living in around 1,600 unauthorised colonies as a major reason for defeat in the municipal polls, the Government is expected to set aside substantial amount of financial resources for infrastructure development in these settlements.

The Delhi Government issued provisional regularisation certificates (PRCs) to over 1,200 unauthorised colonies ahead of Assembly polls in 2008. The then Dikshit government, while distributing the certificates, had promised to regularise the colonies if Congress came to power for third term. However, not a single colony has been regularised so far.

The process had slowed down considerably last year following allegations that some “non-existent” as well as “ineligible” colonies were given provisional regularisation certificates flouting norms.

“Development works in unauthorised colonies will be a major priority for the government,” a senior minister said.

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