Release more funds for Delhi's development: Kejriwal to Centre

New Delhi, Apr 12: Reaching out to the residents of unauthorised colonies, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today pressed the Centre to release more funds for the city's development and said that the "paltry" tax share it receives currently was not sufficient.

Addressing a rally in north east Delhi's Karawal Nagar, Kejriwal also said that the government has taken initiatives through which residents of four colonies are already getting their maps sanctioned and will soon get registration rights.

"We will provide basic facilities in all unauthorised colonies. For this we will need a lot of money. Both the Centre and the state are equally responsible for the development work here."

"It is not that it is just the Centre giving money for the development of the national capital. Delhi gives Rs 65,000 crore in form of taxes to the Centre every year and in return gets only a paltry sum of Rs 325 crore. We should get at least Rs 10,000 crore for the development of the colonies," he said.

He also slammed the Congress and BJP for having treated the residents of unauthorised colonies as "vote banks".

"Whenever I used to meet the leaders of these parties they used to say that if we fulfill all the promises at a go then what will we do next time," he alleged.

The Chief Minister said the government had identified six issues namely water, sewer, roads, drains, street lights and cleanliness of the colonies as priority areas.

On AAP's key poll promise of not demolishing slums, he said the government won't allow further demolition but requested the residents to prevent "new constructions" which he said will lead to further deterioration.

Kejriwal also urged them not to fall prey to "conspiracies being woven against the government".

Yesterday, addressing a rally at Mundka, Kejriwal had announced a compensation of Rs 50,000 per hectare for farmers hit by recent unseasonal rains and hailstorm.

PTI