Sheila Dixit presents a tax-free Budget in election year

NEW DELHI: Sheila Dixit-led Congress government in Delhi presented a tax-free budget on Wednesday, keeping an eye on the state assemble elections due in November.

Desi Ghee, LED lights and Chilli Spray will become cheaper. The 15th consecutive budget of the Congress government set aside big funds for social schemes. "I am proposing a tax free-budget," said Dixit. Dixit expressed confidence that the city is on track to grow on 9% compared to 5% at the national level.

She also outlined the development activities taken up by her government in several sectors, including infrastructure, health, water and transport.

"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 2,01,083. It has gone up by five times since this government took over. In 1998 when we came to power it was 40,060," she said.

Presenting a 37,450-crore Delhi budget for the next fiscal, she said 16,000 crore has been earmarked as plan outlay. Out of the total plan outlay, she said, 10,351 crore has been earmarked for social sector projects while the non-plan outlay has been kept at 21,000 crore.

Sheila said her government has constructed 65 flyovers during the period of first four years of her third term. There is an increase of 33% in the allocation for health sector from 1,872 crore to 2,419 crore.