Delhi outlay increased by over 200 percent in budget

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Monday increased the 2009-10 budgetary outlay for the national capital by over 200 percent to about Rs.2,500 crore (Rs.25 billion). The city will get more funds for housing, infrastructure and for basic services to the urban poor.

The total allocation for Delhi stands at Rs.2,495.68 crore for this fiscal, a whopping 207 percent higher from the last Rs.812.80 crore.

The national capital territory also got a greater grant for investing in infrastructure and improving services to the urban poor.

The grant for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) - one of the flagship programmes of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government - has been enhanced by Rs.975.91 crore to Rs.1,129.82 crore for this fiscal as compared to Rs.153.91 crore in 2008-09.

Delhi Finance Minister A.K. Walia expressed his gratitude to Mukherjee for making a fair hike and welcomed the increase in allocation under the special grant for JNNURM.

The allocation for Commonwealth Games has also been hiked from Rs.400 crore in the previous fiscal to Rs.1,000 crore in 2009-10 - an increase of 150 percent or Rs.600 crore.

“The city government would stress upon the need for another Rs.1,000 crore in this head,” Walia said.

He expressed confidence that central government would favourably consider this reasonable requirement of the Delhi government, keeping in view the importance of the ensuing 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The provision for Old Age Pension has also been hiked from Rs.53.27 crore in the last fiscal to Rs.83.71 crore in 2009-10, which marks a 57 percent increase.

Last updated on Jul 6^th, 2009 at 16:43 pm IST--IANS