New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal disagreed on Thursday with the fact that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) should try and get the Union Bugdet delayed. He also asked Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to not put Delhi’s development at stake because of the model code of conduct.
“Delhi’s development shouldn’t stop at any cost,” he said. The Delhi Assembly elections are scheduled to be held on 8 February, a week after Sitharaman presents the Union Budget on first day of the month.
“We want the upcoming budget to bring good news for Delhi people and Delhi’s development should speed up,” the AAP chief said.
Kejriwal also said that all the political parties would make promises in order to win the election and the upcoming budget gives an opportunity to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to provide funds to the civic bodies led by it. “The BJP could give as much money as it can to the three of the Municipal Corporations run by the party,” he added.
Delhi’s incumbent chief minister also said he would put this stand on record in a letter that he will write to the Centre and also appeal to the Election Commission to allow the Central government to offer more welfare schemes and funds for the city in the Budget.
He said the city faces some key issues such as air pollution, lack of transport, extension of Delhi metro, piped water and sewerage facilities for all.
"Which party will not say pollution should be checked and not promise it in the manifesto?" he Kejriwal, adding all parties would also promise schemes to clean the Yamuna and that funds would be needed for it.
"The Centre should ensure enough funds to check air pollution in Delhi. Also, funds should be given to Haryana and Punjab as well for the same, as they are also behind the air pollution in Delhi."
He said the Centre should also give funds to ensure that transport in Delhi is improved. "These will be the demands from all parties and so the new government should have funds to improve the city when elected."
He added this is not just for Aam Aadmi Party, but for any party coming to power in the 2020 assembly elections. "This should be kept away from politics as this is for people."
On January 6, while announcing the date of Delhi Assembly elections, the Election Commission had stressed that the Centre would not declare any "state-specific schemes" in the national Budget. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora made the announcement while announcing the poll date.
The code of conduct came into effect immediately after the announcement of Delhi assembly election schedule. It meant that no state-specific schemes can be announced in the Union Budget scheduled for February 1.
(With inputs from IANS)
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