With just four days to go before the presentation of the Union budget, the Delhi government reiterated its demand for allocation of Rs 10,000 crore to Delhi out of Rs 2 lakh crore income tax contribution to the Centre.
Addressing a press conference, the Delhi finance minister said that out of Rs 2.07 lakh crore contribution from income tax and Rs 25,000 crore from Goods and Services Tax (GST) to the Centre, not even a single rupee was given to the Delhi government. “Ahead of the budget, people of Delhi demand that from Delhi’s contribution to the central taxes, an amount of Rs 10,000 crore should be allocated to the city for infrastructure development in road, transport and power sectors,” said Atishi.
The minister said that Maharashtra and Karnataka contribute Rs 5 lakh crore and Rs 2 lakh crore respectively to central taxes, out of which they get Rs 54,000 crore and Rs 33,000 crore respectively. “If these states can get such amounts in return, why can’t Delhi? Why is there such discrimination?” Atishi asked the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
The demand comes amid increasing complaints of fund crunch from various institutions. Recently, as many as 12 Delhi University colleges claimed that they are struggling to pay salaries, facing staff shortage and pending dues due to lack of funds. Fully financed by the Delhi government, these colleges cited pending approvals and slashing of funds as the reasons behind the challenges being faced.
Delhi Education Minister Atishi, however, had countered the claim citing “grave procedural irregularities”. “There have been grave procedural irregularities in these 12 colleges. Creation of posts and recruitment of 1,897 employees, 939 teaching and 958 non-teaching posts happened without the Delhi government’s approval.” In November 2023, Atishi had accused the stoppage of funds to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) by the finance secretary as the reason behind the water shortage and had urged Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena's immediate intervention in the matter.
Ever since the passage of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance 2023, which slipped control over services back into the hands of the Delhi LG, such confrontations between the Delhi government and civil servants have become commonplace for the people of Delhi.
In December last year, the Supreme Court had come down heavily on the Delhi Government over the inordinate delay in giving funds for infrastructure projects in the Delhi High Court.
In the press conference today, Atishi said that Delhi can supplement its work with the money they can get from the Centre. “We are demanding this money so that we can build more highways, schools, and invest in the power sector. We will be able to do much more for the development of Delhi if we get this money, which is the contribution of the people of Delhi as taxes in the first place,” she added.
Earlier, Atishi had accused the Centre of paying only Rs 325 crore to the Delhi government from the central pool of taxes. However, even this payment was stopped last year, and now the city receives not a single rupee, she alleged.
