The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government sought to take development to every household in the Capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on the sidelines of the presentation of his dispensation’s fourth consecutive budget.
Asserting that the ₹53,000-crore budget for the 2018-19 fiscal, tabled in the Delhi Legislative Assembly on Thursday, aimed at benefiting all sections of society, priority areas for the AAP government remained, more or less, the same but relatively more emphasis was put on three additional key areas this time around: roads infrastructure, water and sewerage.
“This budget has sought to be inclusive of the interests and needs of each section of society; especially the poor...It is the first of its kind Green Budget. Emphasis has remained on education and health, which have always been the priority of this government but, at the same time, relatively more emphasis has been put on roads, water and sewerage,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
“The Delhi government will take development to every house in Delhi. We will make roads to every house including in unauthorised colonies,” the Chief Minister said further.
Infrastructure, transport
The total expenditure on road infrastructure and transport was kept at ₹5,145 crore for the 2018-19 fiscal. Construction of the elevated Barapullah Phase – III, from Sarai Kale Khan to Mayur Vihar, is to be completed by December 2018.
Construction of the Kalindi Bypass between DND flyover and Faridabad along Yamuna and Agra Canal and the elevated road from Signature Bridge to Kalindi Kunj Bypass will also be started.
In relation to the government’s intent to augment the state of public transportation, 1,000 standard-size buses will be inducted in the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) fleet, 1,000 buses are to be added under the cluster scheme and the same number of electric buses are proposed to be inducted.
Water and Sewerage
Nearly 3,000 bulk metres will be installed in the Capital to check the amount of water being supplied to colonies, the budget proposed. The government has allocated ₹2,777.50 crore for water supply and sewage treatment for 2018-19. The total allocation, this time, is 19.85% more than the revised estimate of 2017-18.
The Chief Minister further said that the government would set up small sewage treatment plants in various colonies of Burari, Chattarpur, Kirari, Narela, Jindpur, Palla, Bawana, Kanjhwala, Badarpur, Mundka and Najafgarh. Earlier, large sewage treatment plants were installed in Delhi.
