Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday wrote to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking funds for the Delhi government for the preparation of G-20 Summit.

In his letter, Sisodia said, “Hosting the G20 Summit is a matter of pride for Delhi.” The Delhi Government needs Rs 927 crore for special preparations for G-20, he added.

He pointed out that the Delhi government does not get any funds in the Union Budget. Hence the Central government should sanction additional funds for the preparations for the G-20.

The letter said, “It is a matter of great pride for India that India is the host of the G-20 summit. It is a matter of even more pride for us Delhiites that most of the important events of the G-20 summit will take place in Delhi.”

Sisodia assured that the Delhi government will provide full assistance to the Union government in the planning to make the G-20 summit a great success.

The deputy chief minister said under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the entire Delhi government will strive to ensure that the foreign guests who arrive here during the G-20 summit do not face any trouble, and furthermore, they can return home with unforgettable memories of Delhi as a 21st-century capital of India.

He added, “In this regard, the various departments of the Delhi government have formulated an outline for events related to infrastructure development. Amongst these, there are proposals for the beautification of spots where G-20 events are set to take place, as well as proposals for the staging of specific events and functions.”

“The Delhi government requires Rs 927 crore in order to fulfil these special preparations for the planning of the G-20 Conference,” he said.

Sisodia said Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena is engaged in a continuous review of these preparations. Furthermore, the lieutenant governor has also given his assent to these preparations and events, he said.

“You would be aware that the Delhi Government has not received any financial support from the Central Government as its share from the central taxes. The Delhi Government also does not receive any extra grants from the Central Government,” the deputy chief minister said in the letter.

He said, “In fact, the MCD does not receive the funds that other Municipalities across the country receive on account of the population in their jurisdiction.”

“As such, it is clear that the Delhi Government would find it difficult to spend an extra Rs 927 crore for the organisation of the G-20 out of the regular financial resources. Therefore, in light of the importance of the G-20 summit and the need for the G-20-related events taking place in Delhi to be held successfully, I request you to provide us with the requisite Rs 927 crore from the Central Government,” Sisodia said.

This would be of great assistance in making sure that the various events and functions of the Delhi Government that have been planned can take place seamlessly, and the preparations can be completed on time, he said.