The allocation of Rs 790 crore for Delhi in the 2018-19 Union budget was not well received by Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, which on Thursday called it “disappointing”. The allocation of Rs 790 crore for Delhi in the 2018-19 Union budget was not well received by Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, which on Thursday called it “disappointing”.

AAP accused the Central government of “continuing stepmotherly” treatment towards the people of Delhi.Soon after the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely presented the budget in parliament, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to micro-blogging site Twitter to express his disappointment over the lack of financial assistance towards the development of the Capital.Kejriwal said he had expected some financial assistance for important infrastructure projects for the Capital.

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“I had expected some financial assistance to important infrastructure projects for national capital. Am disappointed that Centre continues its step-motherly treatment to Delhi,” Kejriwal tweeted.Kejriwal alleged there was “nothing” for the middle class and traders in the budget and both were “completely ignored”.

The Centre allocated Rs 790 crore for Delhi in the 2018-19 Union Budget while the share in Central taxes and duties for the city remained unchanged even though AAP government had demanded an increase. Out of a total of Rs 790 crore the Delhi government was given Rs 449.99 crore as Central assistance.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia expressed his unhappiness over Delhi’s share in Central taxes and duties remaining unchanged. He claimed that the BJP continued to treat Delhi residents as “second grade citizens”.”Not a single rupee has been increased in Delhi’s share in Central taxes since 2001-02.

Even this year it stays at Rs 325 crore. No other part of India gets such treatment,” Sisodia remarked.Sisodia, who also holds Finance portfolio, said that despite the demand for special package for 2,000 electric buses to combat air pollution in the city, the Centre completely ignored it in the budget.

On the issue of regularisation of unauthorised colonies, Sisodia said that land in Delhi came under the Centre, but despite that no plans were announced for regularisation of unauthorised colonies and giving more land to Delhi government to build clinics, schools, hospitals and bus depots.Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, Delhi AAP convener Gopal Rai termed the Union budget as a “betrayal” of common people.

Rai, who also holds cabinet post in Delhi government, said that after the implementation of goods and services tax (GST), the Modi government had sidelined Delhi, which had otherwise proved beneficial for the Centre in terms of generating revenue.Rai said despite poor law and order in the capital, no plans or schemes were announced in the budget to tackle crime or address issues of women’s safety.

Newly elected AAP Rajya Sabha member ND Gupta said that even though on the one hand Centre announced a standard deduction of Rs 40,000 for salaried taxpayers, on the other it put extra burden on the pockets of people by increasing cess and other charges.Gupta, who is also a chartered accountant, claimed that there were no benefits for small and medium enterprises (SME) in the budget.