Delhi Budget: LED Lights, footwear get cheaper

Presenting the 15th consecutive budget of her government, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today focussed on social sector projects in an election year when her party will approach voters for a record fourth term in the capital.

Of the items that got cheaper were Chilli spray where the its VAT was reduced from 12.5 percent to nil. Desi Ghee also got cheaper with VAT reduced to 5 percent, CNN-IBN reported.

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Additionally, there will be no VAT on organic colours in Holi and organic manure. VAT was also exempted from Footwear costing less than Rs 500 and stationary items including geometry box and pencils.

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LED lights will also cost lesser with VAT on the item reduced to 5 percent.

The Delhi government also made tax payments easier bymaking the entire process online right from registration to payment.

There will also be uniform tax period for all dealers and traders.

In her budget speech in Delhi Assembly today, the last in her third term, Sheila Dikshit expressed confidence that the city government is on track to grow on nine percent compared to five percent of the national level.

She also outlined the development activities taken up by her government in several sectors, including infrastructure, health, water and transport. This is the consecutive third term of Dikshit-led Congress government in the capital, which will go to polls in November.

“Delhi is on the track to grow on nine per cent compared to five per cent of national average… The per capita income in Delhi is Rs 2,01,083. It has gone up by five times since this government took over. In 1998 when we came to power it was Rs 40,060,” she said.

Presenting a Rs 37,450 crore budget for the next fiscal, she said Rs 16,000 crore has been earmarked as plan outlay. Out of the total plan outlay, she said, a whopping Rs 10,351 crore has been earmarked for social sector projects.

Dikshit said her government has constructed 65 flyovers during a period 2009-13, the first four years of her third term. Delhi will go to poll later this year. On the health front, she said she wanted Delhi to be the health and well-being capital of the country with emphasis on the holistic development of the sector.

There is an increase of 33 percent in the allocation for health sector from Rs 1,872 crore to Rs 2,419 crore, she said.

With inputs from PTI