‘Budget in line with AAP’s manifesto, fight against graft’
Delhi finance minister Manish Sisodia’s proposed Budget on Monday was in line with the AAP’s main political plank that the Kejriwal government’s main intention was to weed out corruption from the system and ensure that tax collected from hard-earned money of Delhiites was utilised honestly. Mr Sisodia said the AAP government’s election manifesto was no less than a holy book and a binding contract with citizens. Without naming BJP president Amit Shah in his two-hour Budget speech, Mr Sisodia said unlike other parties, which after winning elections declare their manifesto promises as mere “jumla (adage),” his government considers it a solemn pledge.
Mr Sisodia said his government has made a significant beginning by implementing a policy of “zero-tolerance towards corruption.” He said: “We lose no time, however highly placed a person be, including a minister, to take action against any act of corruption. Despite the constant attempts of the Centre to destabilise the anti-corruption efforts of this government, which includes physical capture of the anti-corruption branch and stalling of anti-graft legislations, we have managed to plug loopholes and leakages, substantially augment revenue, reduce wasteful expenditure and timely completion of infrastructure projects.”
Saluting Delhiites for their overwhelming support to the odd-even car formula, Mr Sisodia said various global organisations and thinkers have applauded this initiative, including reputed Fortune magazine that honoured chief minister Arvind Kejriwal as one of the 50 greatest leaders of “our” times. Quoting from Mr Kejriwal’s first speech as the CM of the national capital, he said, “Today every citizen of Delhi has become chief minister. This has been the guiding principle of our governance and we have espoused to socially, economically and politically empower each citizen of Delhi.”
The city finance minister emphasised that the government’s priorities were linked to the hopes and aspirations of “aam aadmi (comman people).”
Quoting United States treasury secretary Jacob Lew, Mr Sisodia said, “The Budget is not just a collection of numbers, but an expression of our values and aspirations.” He said a participatory budgeting process under the Swaraj Fund Scheme was started in 2015-16 with the objective of decentralisation of governance and giving real decision-making power to citizens of Delhi. He said the scheme, which was successfully implemented in 11 Assembly constituencies, would be extended to all the 70 constituencies in the current fiscal. In line with the AAP government’s Swaraj vision, he proposed Rs 350 crore for the Citizen Local Area Development Scheme.
Mr Sisodia said the government was committed to set up Aam Aadmi canteens for providing nutritious and hygienic food at low prices to the poor and downtrodden. He said the Bureau of Affordable Meals has been set up to monitor and coordinate the functioning of these canteens and Rs 10 crore were being earmarked for the scheme.
The FM said it was a myth that only the rich pay taxes. He said: “The poor, the disadvantaged as consumers of goods and services also pay tax. Thus, while we have to mobilise greater resources to meet the goals outlined earlier, we are committed to a tax structure which is just, fair and equitable.”
Quoting Union finance minister Arun Jaitley’s Budget speech, he said the conventional segregation of expenditure under plan and non-plan heads in the budget was artificial n nature. “For the common man, expenditure made by the government is the Budget.”
Mr Sisodia concluded his budget speech by quoting Mahatama Gandhi: “I should love to satisfy all, if I possibly can; but in trying to satisfy all, I may be able to satisfy none. I have, therefore, arrived at the conclusion that the best course is to satisfy one’s own conscience and leave the world to form its own judgment, favourable or otherwise.”
