Delhi govt urges Centre to send 'funds' to bankroll G20 preparations

New Delhi: Ahead of the G20 Summit in September this year, the Delhi government has demanded that the Centre give funds to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to carry out works as part of preparations.

“The Centre gives funds to local bodies and municipal corporations… There is a formula for it, funds are allocated to municipal corporations according to the population.

“We have been demanding funds for the municipal corporation for six years. Delhi is the national capital, the G20 Summit is coming up. A large number of events will be held here and a lot of people will come. So, it is the Centre’s duty to give funds to the municipal corporation,” he said.

He also demanded that the Centre increase goods and service tax (GST) compensation for Delhi.

As part of the implementation of the new tax regime, the Centre compensates the states and Union Territories (UT) with a Legislative Assembly for any loss in revenue.

According to a Finance Ministry statement, Maharashtra got a GST compensation of Rs 2,081 crore, Karnataka got Rs 1,915 crore, Uttar Pradesh Rs 1,202 crore, Delhi Rs 1,200 crore, Tamil Nadu Rs 1,188 crore, and Punjab Rs 984 crore.

“A lot of loss has been incurred due to GST, and Delhi is also part of it. First of all, the GST compensation should be increased,” Sisodia told PTI.

India took over the presidency of the G20 on December 1 for a year.

The summit which will be held in September 2023 will be a culmination of all the G20 meetings held throughout the year among ministers, senior officials, and civil societies.

The Group of Twenty (G20) comprises 19 countries and the European Union. Its members represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.