Budget 2019: Arvind Kejriwal Meets FM Sitharaman; Offers Full Support In Improving Delhi's Economy

With days left for Narendra Modi-led NDA government 2.0 to table its first Union Budget for 2019-20 fiscal, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Kejriwal was accompanied by his deputy and Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia. (Image: Nagendar Sharma/ Twitter)

With days left for Narendra Modi-led NDA government 2.0 to table its first Union Budget for 2019-20 fiscal, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the sidelines of the big economical exercise scheduled to take place on July 5. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener said that he met Sitharaman and assured her full cooperation from the Delhi government. Kejriwal was accompanied by his deputy and Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia and other AAP leaders. While briefing reporters about his meet with the Finance Minister, Kejriwal further said that he also discussed issue pertaining to improving economy of the national capital and demanded grants from the Central government for the betterment of Delhi. "I met FM Nirmala Sitharaman Ji and assured her our cooperation. We discussed issues relating to improving Delhi's economy, demanded grants from Centre to municipal bodies in Delhi and IGST of Rs 3,000 Cr that is with Centre should be returned to Delhi," Kejriwal said. The Delhi CM also said that he discussed about the proposal of free metro and DTC bus rides for women in Delhi with the Finance Minister. Kejriwal, while speaking to reporters, assured women of Delhi that he will get the proposal approved from the Centre at the earliest possible.

Media byte of Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal after meeting the Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman. pic.twitter.com/AllZ8srCWj

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) June 27, 2019

Later taking to Twitter, the Delhi CM informed about his meeting with Sitharaman. "Met Union Finance Minister Ms Nirmala Sitharaman. Congratulated her for assuming charge of such an imp Ministry. Assured her of full cooperation from Del govt and stressed the need for Del govt and Centre to work together for improving Delhi," he tweeted.

Met Union Finance Minister Ms Nirmala Sitharaman. Congratulated her for assuming charge of such an imp Ministry. Assured her of full cooperation from Del govt and stressed the need for Del govt and Centre to work together for improving Delhi. https://t.co/kI4gWipeYs

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 27, 2019

Ahead of the Budget 2019, Sitharaman has been meeting Chief Ministers and Finance Ministers of every state in her pre-Budget meeting exercise to seek suggestions and expectation of every state from the upcoming Budget. Delhi government, over the past, had been demanding that the share in central taxes and duties for it be increased. "We have sought increase in Union grant to Delhi from Rs 325 crore to Rs 6,000 crore as per formula. For the last 25 years we are getting a meager Rs 325 crore as grant and it needs to change," Sisodia had said after the meeting Sitharaman last week. In interim budget in February this year, the Centre had allocated Rs 1,112 crore for Delhi in the Union Budget, while keeping its share in central taxes and duties unchanged.