Delhi Assembly set to approve power, water subsidies

A formal announcement of a revamped anti-corruption helpline and provision for nearly Rs 425 crore power and water bill subsidy are expected in the two-day sitting of the Delhi Assembly starting on Wednesday.

The second part of the first session of the sixth Assembly has been called for enabling the Arvind Kejriwal government to present a vote-on-account of Rs 9,000 crore for meeting the official expenses for the first three months of the next session. A full-fledged budget is likely to be presented in June.

The Assembly session’s sitting is taking place at a time when the opposition BJP has alleged that Speaker Ram Niwas Goel has not formally given it the leader of opposition post.

On Monday, leader of BJP legislature party Vijender Gupta said that a plan to bring in a vote-on-account in place of Budget is an example of lack of transparency in the government’s functioning.

He said the BJP would demand the tabling of the report of the Fourth Finance Commission of Delhi in the House and protest over the hike in water tariff and “forged” degree of Law Minister Jitender Tomar.

‘No room’ for BJP leader
Gupta also alleged that a room – number 29 – on the Assembly premises which is conventionally used by the leader of opposition, has not been given to the BJP and kept locked.

The Speaker dismissed the BJP’s claim and said the BJP leaders have been given adequate space to sit on the premises.

“We have to accommodate 67 MLAs of the ruling party on the premises, so the bigger rooms are being re-allotted,” he said, adding that the BJP legislature party has still not sent a written intimation to him about the election of their leader.

An Assembly official said the Speaker earlier received a letter from the Delhi BJP general secretary informing him that Gupta has been elected leader of the BJP legislature party.
“This cannot be taken note of by the Speaker as the letters have to come from the BJP legislators informing him about the decision and not the BJP office-bearer,” he said.

During the two-day sitting, the AAP government may also bring in a proposal to amend certain provision of VAT (Value Added Tax) Act to allow the carry forward of Input Tax credit for traders.

Kejriwal is also expected to make some announcement on the five-10 constituencies in which the government plans to involve people in budget-making.

By June, the government would also collect suggestions from people on the Budget.