The Delhi government’s Budget for 2018-2019 would be finalised soon and presented in the second half of March despite tensions between the bureaucracy and the Aam Aadmi Party Cabinet this week, officials involved in the planning said on Thursday.
The week started off with Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash alleging that AAP MLAs attacked him during a meeting at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on Monday night, followed by protests by officers and the arrest of two MLAs, Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal.
Officers said they would not attend any meetings held at the homes of the ministers, apart from Cabinet meetings, and would restrict themselves to written communication with the political executive.
Officials involved in the planning of the Budget said the ongoing tensions would not affect the presentation of the Budget. A senior officer said that the proposals from all departments had been received by the Finance and Planning departments.
“We now have to sit with the Minister [Finance Minister Manish Sisodia] to see what the demands from the departments are and what resources we have. The Budget should be presented by March 23 or 24,” said the officer.
GST meeting
The officer said that the work of the department had not been affected this week. For instance, the officer said, the files pertaining to Goods and Services Tax (GST) had been sent to Mr. Sisodia in preparation for a GST sub-committee meeting that he has to attend on Saturday. If needed, officials concerned would brief the Minister, but would not go to his residence, said the officer.
‘Green Budget’
Last year the Budget was presented on March 8 by Mr. Sisodia in the Delhi Assembly. This year, the AAP government would be presenting its first ‘Green Budget’ with schemes aimed at reducing pollution.
Two officials in the AAP government said the proposals from the departments concerned had been received and that the Green Budget would be finalised soon.
