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One of the projects proposed by the Delhi government in its Rozgar Budget last year to boost employment, the ‘Shopping Festival’ will not be taking place this year, The Indian Express has learnt. The event was earlier cancelled due to elections of the Gujarat Assembly and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) among other reasons.
“At present, the project is neither here nor there. There are some clarifications in the project that need to be cleared,” said sources. “It is still in the planning stage… Even the Detailed Project Report (DPR) is not ready yet. The dates have not been decided yet. They will be decided once there is some progress,” said another source. He said, “The festival is not happening this year.”
The ‘Shopping Festival’ is among the Delhi government’s projects proposed in the Delhi Rozgar Budget last year with a key aim to increase employment in the city. Calling it the country’s biggest shopping festival, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced on July 6, 2022, that it will be a month-long festival conducted across popular markets, like Lajpat Nagar and Sarojini Nagar, shops and malls from January 28 to February 26.
A senior government official said, “Last year, initially, work on the project was started and tourism department and Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission, which was looking after the project, had held consultation meetings with stakeholders. The initial planning and proposal were done. Later, the finance department made observations and asked department officials concerned to complete the procedure required for fund release. It recommended making notes and presenting them before the cabinet for financial approval.”
The tourism department then completed the procedure and moved a proposal for cabinet approval but the work slowed down in October last year following the announcement of election dates in Gujarat, and for the MCD. Following the civic polls in Delhi, the Model Code of Conduct was imposed and the cabinet meeting could not be held, hence, the festival was delayed, said an official.
The official added, “It is very unlikely this year as the G-20 summit is only one month away and September will be spent in that. Even after that if the dates are reviewed then polls for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly and Lok Sabha will take place. In the meantime, the Delhi Budget preparation will also go on.”
Officials said the ‘Shopping Festival’ is supposed to happen only between January and February as it is the “favourable time for people to enjoy and travel”. “But, it is very unlikely that the shopping festival will be held next year as well. Even if it does happen, it will be on a smaller scale,” said an
official.
The festival was supposed to offer a variety of products with discounts —ranging from clothes to jewellery to crockery and accessories to electronic and household decor items. About 200 concerts and events were also on the cards.
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