Union Budget 2024 has betrayed Delhi again, says Atishi

Delhi Finance Minister Atishi

The Union Budget has once again "betrayed" the people of the national capital, Delhi Finance Minister Atishi said on Tuesday, asserting that despite paying over Rs 2 lakh crore in taxes to the BJP-led Centre, the city government did not get even a single penny as its share in central taxes.

Addressing a press conference here, Atishi said Delhi had demanded a budgetary allocation for both the city government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) but it did not get even a single rupee from the Centre in lieu of its tax contribution.

"Today's budget presented by the BJP's Central government in Parliament proved to be a betrayal for the people of Delhi. This is a budget that dashes the hopes and aspirations of the people of Delhi," Atishi said.

"Like every time, the BJP-ruled central government did not give the people of Delhi their due," she added.

"Delhi is the growth engine of the country. It pays more than Rs 2 lakh crore in income tax to the Centre and Rs 25,000 crore as central GST," the minister said.

"Despite paying Rs 2.32 lakh crore in taxes to the Centre, Delhi was asking for just Rs 20,000 crore, which is just 0.4 per cent of the Union Budget. But no money was given as its share in central taxes or to the MCD," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader added.

She said even last year, the people of Delhi paid Rs 2.07 lakh crore in income tax to the Centre "from their hard-earned money".

Atishi alleged that the BJP and the Union government have done nothing for Delhi in 11 years and asserted that the Budget proves the BJP-led Centre will continue to neglect Delhi despite having both power and resources.

Atishi said the city government had urged for an allocation of Rs 10,000 crore, which is 5 per cent of its tax contribution to the central pool, in the Union Budget. An additional Rs 10,000 crore (5 per cent) was demanded for the MCD for improving cleanliness and beautification.

Overall, the people of Delhi were demanding only Rs 20,000 crore, which is only 10 per cent of the Rs 2.32 lakh crore taxes paid by the city to the central pool, and 0.4 per cent of this fiscal year's budget of Rs 48 lakh crore. Despite this, both the Delhi government and the MCD did not get a single rupee for their contribution, she claimed.

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