New Delhi|HL
AAP government of Delhi in their Budget 2017 focussed on education and health sectors. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodiya presented Rs48,000 crore on Wednesday.
Education accounted for 24% of the budget and health for 12%.
The government has proposed total expenditure of Rs11,300 crore on education in 2017-18, which includes a revenue budget of Rs10,186 crore and capital budget of Rs1,114 crore.
Ahead of municipal elections in Delhi, the state government has increased allocation to the civic corporations to Rs7,571 crore, or 15.8% of the total budget. This is 14.9% higher than the funds allocated in 2016-17. AAP is contesting elections to all municipal seats in Delhi for the first time.
It mentions that pharmacies of five Delhi government hospitals — Lok Nayak, GTB, Baba Saheb Ambedkar, DDU and Lal Bahadur Shastri – will be outsourced.
“The government has already allowed free MRI and CT scans for citizens availing healthcare facilities through Delhi government hospitals. Lab facilities and tele-radiology through public private partnership (PPP) will be strengthened,” he said
No new taxes were imposed in the budget, which reduced tax on sanitary napkins, laminates, plywood and granite.
Expecting a positive impact on tax revenue collections of the state government after the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST), the government has projected tax collection in 2017-18 at Rs38,700 crore, 19.33% higher than the revised estimate of last year.
The outcome budget will be available online by 31 March.
Delhi chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal welcomed the budget announcements.
“This budget is a great one for the poor and the middle class. For the third time in a row, there has been no new tax that is being increased. In fact for certain items, tax is being reduced and that is only possible because of an honest government. The money that was spent in corruption and was being eaten by officials is now being saved,” Kejriwal told reporters.
