New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday assured full cooperation from his government to the Centre for the fast development of the national capital.
Kejriwal, after meeting Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, raised the issue of Delhi's share in central taxes and demanded the Finance Minister for raising it.
"I assured her that the Delhi government will fully cooperate to work with the Central Finance Ministry. Our aim is to ensure quick development of the national capital and it is crucial for us to work together to achieve that," Kejriwal said.
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
This is second time in a week that Kejriwal has assured his full cooperation to the Centre on issues related to Delhi. During his four-and-half-year tenure, the Delhi Chief Minister has had bitter confrontation with the Modi government.
With regard to the budgetary allocation to the national capital, Kejriwal said Delhi collects income tax worth Rs 1.5 lakh crores but gets only Rs 325 crores out of it.
Kejriwal, who was accompanied by his deputy and Delhi's Finance Minister Manish Sisodia, told Sitharaman that the more the Centre invests in Delhi, it will lead to a boom in the economy here and Delhiites will provide more tax to the Centre.
The Chief Minister also sought the Central government's funds for the civic bodies in the national capital.
"The Centre grants funds to the municipal corporations of the other states but Delhi MCDs don't get any grants from the Centre. So we have asked the minister to grant funds to Delhi's local bodies too," he said.
The BJP ruled municipal corporations in Delhi have been charging the ruling AAP of holding back funds to them, seeking several hundred crores of rupees as dues over previous years.
The Delhi Chief Minister also sought Rs 3,000 crore of Integrated Goods and Services Tax(IGST) "lying" with the Centre, during the meeting.
Kejriwal congratulated Sitharaman over victory of her party in the recent Lok Sabha elections and on being given responsibility of a "critical" ministry in the new government.
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