Opposition slams Delhi budget

Opposition today tore into the provisions in the budget for Delhi alleging that precious little has been done for the millions of people in the national capital in the exercise.

New Delhi: Opposition today tore into the provisions in the budget for Delhi alleging that precious little has been done for the millions of people in the national capital in the exercise.

Initiating a discussion in Lok Sabha on the 2014-15 budget for the national capital territory of Delhi, Congress member Deepender Singh Hooda said since his party lost power, the problems of citizens have multiplied.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had presented the Delhi Budget in Parliament as the national capital is under President`s rule.

Taking a dig at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Hooda said AAP`s 49-day rule landed Delhi into "anarchy" after the 15-year rule of Congress which saw peace, progress and development.

He said AAP, which had promised huge hopes for citizens, were "punished" by people in the Lok Sabha polls as it "ran away" from challenges and its brief tenure at the helm saw AAP leaders vying for publicity on one issue or the other.

Targeting BJP, Hooda said the ruling party at the Centre had promised 30 per cent cut in power tariff by forcing power companies to reduce rates. But the budget shows that instead of that, the government has provided a Rs 260 crore subsidy, a move once criticised by BJP itself.

"While the per unit power tariff in Delhi was Rs 2.70, it was only ten paisa in Haryana, a few kilometres away. The people of Delhi are asking questions on this," he said.

There has been nothing new in the budgetary exercise and in some respects, it was a "cut-copy-paste job" of the earlier rule, the Congress member said.

He charged the government with not making any provision to provide facilities to unauthorised colonies which have been regularised.

"Even the Rs 600 per month allowance given to women of BPL families under the Annashree Yojana to give them benefits of food security, has been withdrawn," he said.

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