AAP budget in Delhi a fake one made by fake degree govt: Congress' Ajay Maken

New Delhi: Congress on Friday slammed the “fake” budget tabled by “inexperienced” AAP government saying their promises of setting up new schools and hospitals will require land which will again put the state government in direct confrontation with the Centre. [caption id=“attachment_2314412” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Congress’ Ajay Maken. PTI[/caption] Speaking to media persons in New Delhi, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken also claimed that by making promises like providing additional buses, beds and schools - which will require land to be fulfilled - the AAP Government has prepared itself for another battle with Centre. Land in Delhi falls under jurisdiction of Central Government and hence, if AAP fails to keep the promises, it can get away by blaming Centre, the Congress said. “This is a fake budget by fake degree Government. In its budget, the Government has shown 32 percent rise in tax revenue, which was only 2 percent last year. “It has shown 75 percent rise in non-tax revenue, which was in negative last fiscal. So, the proposed tax and VAT collection and rise in non tax revenue is not going to realise and hence, this is a fake budget,” Maken told reporters. He claimed that prices of food and other items are set to shoot up in Delhi as goods and food items coming from outside will be taxed even as there is ban on farming along banks of Yamuna River. “Price of each item will go up and the Arvind Kejriwal Government only is responsible for this,” he said. Maken further questioned the “inexperienced” AAP Government saying how it will arrange for space for constructing depots for 10,000 additional buses as promised, increasing as many new beds in hospitals and setting up new schools. “These facilities can come up only when Centre makes available space for it. So, all these things are not going to happen and these people are going to fight with Centre saying they wanted to work, but Centre did not allow us,” the former Union Minister said. He added the Government has made a “very little” budgetary provision for skill development to compliment job generation. Maken also expressed concerns over the AAP Government allegedly doing away with MLA funds, which was Rs 350 crore last year, and labelled its Swaraj fund as a “big joke”. Notwithstanding AAP’s poor rapport with Centre, the state government has received substantial help in the grant-in-aid form, he said. The Congress further criticised the Government for not having roadmap to deal with environmental issues and accused it of completing works commissioned by earlier Congress Governments and claiming credit for the same. Congress maintained the budget offered “nothing” for safety of women. Meanwhile, when asked about turf war between AAP-nominated ACB chief SS Yadav and Lieutenant Governor-appointee head of the anti-graft body MK Meena, Maken ridiculed it as the Government that has two officers for each position. “This is a government which has two home secretaries, two secretary services. The L-G recognises as one officer as ACB chief, while the Chief Minister another. The L-G speaks to his officer for work, while the CM speaks to his. There is no work taking place in Delhi. So, there is complete paralysis which has also reflected in the budget,” he quipped. He also accused the Government of being one of “detectives” and encouraging snooping on others. “They are not able to administer Delhi, they should open a detective agency,” he said. Yadav has accused Meena of threatening and pressuring him and trying to hamper the functioning of ACB. According to sources, Yadav has sent three complaints about Meena’s alleged high-handed behaviour to Delhi’s government’s Department of Vigilance, which comes under Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Sisodia has forwarded the complaints to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi, they added. PTI