Amid a row between the Union and Delhi governments, sources on Tuesday said the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has approved Delhi's Budget 2023-24.
The source in Lieutenant Governor's office further told PTI that it has been conveyed to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government that the Budget has been approved.
"The MHA has approved the Budget and conveyed it to the Delhi government," a source said.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Delhi government issued strong statements over the issue. Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot said that the budget file has been resent to MHA for approval. Gahlot had said that the file had been sent to MHA physically and through email for approval.
The presentation of the Delhi government's Budget for 2023-24, scheduled for Tuesday, has been put on hold with the Kejriwal-led dispensation and the central government trading charges over allocations under various heads.
As the chief minister lashed out at the Centre, sources in the MHA said the ministry has sought a clarification from the AAP government as its budget proposal had high allocations for advertisement and relatively low funding for infrastructure and other development initiatives.
Earlier on Tuesday, Kejriwal wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that it's for the first time in 75 years that Delhi's Budget had been stalled.
In his letter, Kejriwal said: "This is the first in the last 75 years that a state's budget has been stalled. Why are you upset with Delhiites? Please don't stall Delhi's budget. With folded hands, Delhiites urge you to pass their budget."
(With PTI inputs)
