Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government will present its second budget in assembly today since coming to power in February last year.
Just like last year, Manish Sisodia, who holds both finance and the education portfolio, is likely to allocate major share to health and education in his budget today.
Sisodia had said earlier this year, “We will spend 25 per cent of our annual budget (2016-17) on education. Perhaps, this is the highest percentage of the total budget to be spent on education sector in the country.”
In 2015-16 budget, the Delhi government had allocated Rs. 9,836 crore for the Education sector.
According to a report in The Hindu, the AAP government is also expected to shell out more for public transport by deciding to buy 1,000 new air-conditioned buses.
The government will also provide funds for 3,000 mohalla sabhas where locals will be given a say in deciding civic projects for their areas. Last year, Mohalla Sudhar Samitis were constituted as a pilot project in 11 constituencies with a budget of Rs. 220 crore being allocated for the Swaraj Fund.
The Indian Express reported that, in the health sector, the government is will provide funds for organising their flagship public meetings. Money will be allocated for 3,000 mohalla sabhas, where locals will have a say in deciding civic projects in their areas, said officials.
The government has also made it clear that it didn’t have plans to introduce any new Bill during this session as the Centre was yet to approve the Bills passed during the last session.
”If the Centre does not give a nod to the city government’s Bills at the earliest, there is no benefit of tabling new Bills and sending them for approval,” Sisodia had said.
The government is also expected to set aside Rs. 50 crore for the Aam Aadmi canteens, which have been modelled after Tamil Nadu’s highly-subsidised Amma canteens, to provide nutritious food to migrant workers in the Capital.