New Delhi: With most Delhiites suggesting that the upcoming Budget should focus on jobs, higher education and pollution, senior officials in the Delhi government have hinted that a key feature for the FY 22-23 Budget will likely be the introduction of a "seed-money-like" scheme to encourage new businesses in a bid to revive the Covid-hit economy.
While officials said that education will continue to be a highlight in the Budget with a primary focus on supporting the newly-built Skill and Sports University and the school children's mentorship programme along with special attention to health, power, and water project, they added that infrastructure projects involving flyovers may have to take a back seat.
But most importantly, the Finance Department has been asked to come up with ideas that can support new businesses. "Like the seed money given to Delhi government school students under its entrepreneurship Curriculum the government will come forward in a similar support to the businessmen in the city," a junior official of the department said.
Finance Minister, Manish Sisodia in an internal meeting has suggested that the Budget should focus on boosting traders and businessmen. "Schemes that support and benefit them should be brought in and provide a platform to engage more businesses," a senior Finance official said. The Delhi Budget 2022-23 will focus on bringing the depleting economy back on track and also on developing the city as a hub for business and services so that more job opportunities are created, Sisodia had said last week.
"The economy has suffered great losses in the past two years due to the Covid pandemic. We will give special attention to bringing the capital's economy back on track. Delhi Budget 2022-23 will also focus on industrial development. The Kejriwal government will focus on developing Delhi as a hub for business and services," Sisodia had said. For the upcoming Budget, the Delhi government has sought public suggestions on which aspects should be in focus. Many have already sent in their suggestions through the Delhi government web portal for the "Participatory budget". "Most of the suggestions that we have gone through focus on jobs, education specially higher education, pollution, economic growth and healthcare," a senior official aware of the developments said.
The government's "participatory budget" was launched on Sunday with several suggestions pouring in, which will all be accepted till February 15, according to another junior official. "The idea came from the School's SMC funds in which we give funds to the SMC and they decide how much they want to spend where. Thus, we decided that since the budget is for the city's residents the people should suggest what they want the budget to focus on," he said.