This is an archive article published on March 23, 2023
MCD share in Delhi budget up 33%
Prior to the reunification of the MCD by the MHA in mid-2022, the BJP had, on more than one occasion, accused the AAP-led government of deliberately starving it of funds and even staged sit-in protests outside the CM’s residence over the issue in 2021.
2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Mar 23, 2023 09:08 AM IST
“Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has admitted that the garbage is being disposed of faster than capacity. The AAP won the corporation elections by lying to the people of Delhi that the BJP is not able to remove the mountains of garbage. Now, AAP leaders are patting themselves on the work done by the BJP,” he alleged.
The Delhi government has pledged over Rs 8,200 crore, the highest amount it has ever set aside for the capital’s civic body since coming to power, in its first budget following the AAP’s electoral conquest of the reunified MCD.
At Rs 8,241 crore, which includes a Rs 850 crore loan to the local body, the allocation registered an increase of more than a third, or above 33%, of the total amount of Rs 6,154 crore set aside in 2022-23.
Prior to the reunification of the MCD by the MHA in mid-2022, the BJP had, on more than one occasion, accused the AAP-led government of deliberately starving it of funds and even staged sit-in protests outside the CM’s residence over the issue in 2021.
Gahlot said the allocation for local bodies included Rs 2,659 crore in the form of linked funds for implementation of schemes, programmes, projects by it; Rs 2,492 crore in the form of Basic Tax Assignment; and Rs 2,240 crore as part of Stamp and Registration and one-time parking charges.
The allocation, Gahlot said, also included Rs 850 crore categorised as a ‘loan to local bodies’.
Last year, a tied fund of Rs 2,305 crore for implementation of schemes, programmes and projects by local bodies; Rs 2,069 crore as Basic Tax Assignment; and Rs 1,780 crore as share in stamps and registration fees and one-time parking fee were part of the allocation.
Clearing the three landfill sites in Delhi within two years — at Bhalswa, Okhla and Ghazipur — is one of the main promises made by the government in the budget.
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Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly raised questions related to eliminating “the garbage mountains” arguing that the BJP itself had set a target against it while in power in the MCD.
“Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has admitted that the garbage is being disposed of faster than capacity. The AAP won the corporation elections by lying to the people of Delhi that the BJP is not able to remove the mountains of garbage. Now, AAP leaders are patting themselves on the work done by the BJP,” he alleged.
Jatin Anand is an Assistant Editor with the national political bureau of The Indian Express. With over 16 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is a seasoned expert in national governance, electoral politics, and bureaucratic affairs. Having covered high-stakes beats including the Election Commission of India (ECI), intelligence, and urban development, Jatin provides authoritative analysis of the forces shaping Indian democracy. He is an alumnus of Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU) and the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, where he specialized in Print Journalism.
Expertise
High-Stakes Beat Coverage: Throughout his decade-and-a-half career, Jatin has covered some of the most sensitive and influential beats in the country, including:
The Election Commission of India (ECI): Monitoring electoral policy, reforms, and the conduct of national and state polls.
National Security & Intelligence: Reporting on the internal mechanisms and developments within India's security apparatus.
Urban Development: Analyzing the policies and bureaucratic processes driving the transformation of India’s cities.
National Political Bureau: In his current role, he tracks the intersection of policy and politics, offering deep-dive reporting on the Union government and national political movements.
Academic Credentials:
Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU): Alumnus of one of Delhi's premier institutions.
Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai: Specialized in Print Journalism at India's most prestigious journalism school. ... Read More
