Delhi Cabinet approves LG's budget address

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal chaired the cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

According to Chief Minister's Office sources, the AAP government has on Monday sent the budget for 2018-19 to the Raj-Niwas Secretariat for approval. The budget will then be sent to the Home Affairs Ministry and the President for final approval before being presented in the House. The Finance Department had sent the budget to the L-G on Monday, a senior officer said. Finance Minister Manish Sisodia is expected to give his budget speech in the Assembly on March 21.

The main Proposal that could lead to a reduction in air pollution and generate revenue for environment-friendly initiatives will be included in the Delhi government's first green budget being planned as a part of Budget 2018-19.

Finance Minister had instructed the departments to consult various studies done on the subject, including the 2016 comprehensive study on air pollution conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur.

With a large proportion of Delhi's particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution coming from road dust and vehicles – 38% and 20% respectively – according to the IIT Kanpur study, efforts to curb these emissions at source will be vital to bring down overall PM levels.

AAP government will be continue to focus on Education, Healthcare, Transport and Sewer and water supply in unauthorised colonies.

The budget was finalised amid ongoing tensions between the political executive and the bureaucracy following an alleged assault on the Chief Secretary by AAP MLAs at the Chief Minister's residence on the night of February 19-20. While officers have been boycotting meetings with Ministers, those involved in budget planning did meet with the political executive as one of the exceptions. The weekly Cabinet meetings have been the other exception to the boycott.