Sisodia seeks Rs 927 cr from Centre for G20 Summit prep: ‘No extra allocation for Delhi in Budget’

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) termed the demand “shocking”, questioning it on the basis of the AAP government’s successive claims of the city being one with a budget surplus.

“Hosting the G20 Summit is a matter of pride for Delhi. Delhi government needs Rs 927 crore for special preparations for G20. The Delhi government does not get any funds in the Union Budget, so the central government should give additional funds for the preparations for the G20,” Sisodia wrote.

“Funds have been sought from the central government to speed up the preparations for the G20,” Sisodia wrote, adding that hosting the Summit was a matter of great pride for India and a matter of even more pride for Delhiites that most of its important events would take place in Delhi.

The Delhi government, Sisodia stated, will provide full assistance to the Government of India in order to make the planning of the Summit a success.

It would, however, require ₹927 crore to fulfil the special preparations for the planning of the G-20 conference.

“You would be aware that the Delhi government has not received any financial support from the central government as its share from the central taxes. The Delhi government also does not receive any extra grants from the central government,” he also stated.

“In fact, the MCD does not receive the funds that other municipalities across the country receive on account of the population in their jurisdiction. As such, it is clear that the Delhi government would find it difficult to spend an extra Rs 927 crore for the organisation of the G20 out of the regular financial resources,” he argued.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor has said that it was surprising to see Sisodia, on the one hand saying that the G20 Summit scheduled in Delhi was a prestigious issue for Delhiites, and on the other hand seeking Rs 927 crore from the Centre for its preparations.

“The Kejriwal government has all along claimed to have surplus budget and all infrastructure preparations will remain in Delhi for long and benefit the city; hence its shocking to see Manish Sisodia seek money from Centre for the preparations,” Kapoor said.