Delhi govt gets marginal hike in allocation

Notwithstanding demand by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to hike central assistance, Centre earmarked Rs 1,143 crore for Delhi in Union Budget which is increase of only Rs 44 crore compared to 2012.

New Delhi: Notwithstanding a demand by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to hike central assistance, the Centre on Thursday earmarked Rs 1,143 crore for the national capital in the Union Budget which is an increase of only Rs 44 crore compared to last year. Out of total allocation, the city government has been given Rs 700 crore under JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission) for infrastructure projects while an outlay of Rs 309.92 crore has been made as normal assistance. Last year, Delhi was given a total assistance of Rs 1,099 crore.

Facing Assembly polls in November, Dikshit had made a strong pitch for increasing the central assistance to take up new projects in the city, saying it has been stagnant at around Rs 300 crore per annum for the last 10 years. In the Budget, Delhi has been given a total allocation of Rs 1077.31 crore while a separate of fund of Rs 68.39 crore has been granted from the allocation made to the Union Road Transport Ministry taking the total to Rs 1143.70 crore. As per the budget, though Delhi was given Rs 1,031.61 crore for 2012-13, it could spend only Rs 831.61 crore. In 2012-13 also, Rs 68 crore was earmarked separately for the city government for road projects which took the total allocation to Rs 1099 crore. Out of the total allocation under JNNURM projects, Rs 470 crore is for urban infrastructure projects while Rs 150 crore has been allocated for providing basic services to urban poor. Rs 80 crore was granted for construction of houses under Rajiv Awaas Yojna. A separate allocation of Rs 54.59 crore has been made for Delhi under National Social Assistance Programme. Another grant of Rs 10 crore has been made under Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojna. Delhi was granted Rs 700 crore under JNNURM for 2012-13 out of which it could spend Rs 500 crore as reflected in the revised estimates. Dikshit, in a statement, said the grants amounting to Rs 700 crore under JNNURM would enable the city government to go for new projects. She said allocation under Rajiv Awas Yojana has witnessed a substantial hike as it has "gone up" from Rs 5 crore in 2012-13 to Rs 80 crore. She said, "That allocation under Urban Infrastructure and Governance under JNNURM has increased from Rs 350 crore to Rs 470 crore." PTI