The Delhi assembly’s five-day budget session commenced on Friday on a stormy note as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs resorted to sloganeering demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy.
MLAs from both the ruling AAP and the Opposition BJP raised slogans against each other during Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena’s inaugural address to the House.
Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel ordered to marshall out three BJP MLAs – Jitendra Mahajan, Anil Bajpai and OP Sharma – to bring order to the House.
In his address on the first day of the Delhi assembly’s five-day budget session, the LG highlighted the work done by the AAP Government in different sectors. Saxena especially underlined the work of the city government in the education sector. He credited the government’s focus on the education sector for the extraordinary performance of the students.
“Despite the Covid pandemic, Delhi’s economy has been doing well. The government worked in construction, real estate, electric vehicles and other sectors. The government has performed well in the field of quality of education. In 12th and 10th classes, 98 and 97 per cent results came for students. A separate education board of Delhi has been created. Delhi has performed well in the education sector in the past five years,” Saxena said.
He added, “In the field of social security, the government is working for inclusive development. A total of 4.08 lakh people have been given pension under the old age assistance scheme. Financial assistance has also been provided to 3.50 lakh distressed women.”
In the area of infrastructure, the Delhi LG said several underpasses, flyovers have been constructed in Delhi. Total 1,35,000 CCTV cameras have been installed across the city. Total 500 national flags were put up all over Delhi on the 75th Independence Day. About 20,000 rooms were made in the government schools. The Kejriwal government laid a new pipeline of 34 km, WTP scheme of Chandrawal and Wazirabad which is about to be completed.
“My government has placed public transport and modernly designed infrastructure among its most important objectives. Delhi Transport Corporation has a total fleet of 4,010 buses, out of which 3,760 are low-floor buses and 250 are e-buses with zero emission. 1,500 additional electric buses are being added,” Saxena said while addressing the House.
Later, after coming out of the Delhi Assembly after completion of his inaugural address, Saxena said, “There is no doubt that the dignity of speech has broken down in the last few days, but just like leaves shed from the trees and grow back again, similarly, we are one government and our relations will continue to grow.”
Saxena’s remarks came amid the ongoing tussle between him and the Delhi government over several issues.
The Delhi BJP has pledged to bring a no-confidence motion during the ongoing budget session.
The 2023-24 budget of the AAP Government will be tabled by Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot in the Assembly on March 21.