Hindustan Times (Delhi)

Mere jugglery of statistics: Oppn

‘HOGWASH’ Opposition says budget hollow, will disappoint

- HT Correspond­ent htreporter­s@hindustant­imes.com

NEW DELHI: The Opposition on Thursday dismissed the Aam Aadmi Party’s fourth budget as ‘jugglery of statistics’ and ‘bundle of lies’.

Panning the financial plan for 2018-19 tabled by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said that for the fourth year in a row, the government had presented a “mere jugglery of statistics”.

“Once again, the government has announced schemes without the constituti­onal approval due to which the people of Delhi will ultimately be disappoint­ed. From working on pollution control to ration distributi­on, this budget seems to be focussed on privatisat­ion of services. It seems that the Kejriwal government now wishes to play the game of kickbacks in connivance with the private companies. It has tried to project it as ‘Green Budget’ but it looks like a ‘Red Budget’ due to the focus on pushing private firms,” Tiwari said.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Maken said the budget did not fulfil the aspiration­s of the citizens. “It is a trick of statistics to deceive them,” he said.

“The state government, under the chief ministersh­ip of Sheila Dikshit, did a remarkable job for city’s developmen­t in 15 years but this AAP government has ruined those works in three years. Today’s budget is hollow with manipulate­d statistics and is full of lies,” he said.

Former Delhi transport minister Haroon Yusuf said ever since the AAP government has come to power, the transport system has completely collapsed.

“In the 2015-16 budget, provision was made to buy 1,380 low floor buses and 500 mini buses. Similarly, in the 2016-17, the target was 1,000 low floor, 1,000 premium category and 736 cluster buses, but till 2017-18, only 37 cluster buses and just one DTC bus has been added to the fleet,” Yusuf said.

BJP’S Rajouri Garden MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the budget was on expected lines. “The AAP makes loud noise but does little. It has enhanced grants for various categories especially in education and health sectors but forgot to implements its previous announceme­nts,” he said.

Once again, the government has announced schemes without the constituti­onal approval due to which the people of Delhi will ultimately be disappoint­ed. MANOJ TIWARI, Delhi BJP chief

 ?? SONU MEHTA/HT ?? Delhi finance minister Manish Sisodia before presenting the annual budget on Thursday.
SONU MEHTA/HT Delhi finance minister Manish Sisodia before presenting the annual budget on Thursday.

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