BJP leader demands 5th Finance Commission in Delhi

NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition in Delhi assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri on Thursday said the ruling AAP government has not constituted the Fifth Finance Commission for the period from April 2021 to March 2026 which should have been done in 2020.
Bidhuri alleged that this has been done to keep the BJP-ruled corporations in financial distress.
The finance commission decides what proportion of taxes will be given by the Delhi government to city's municipal corporations.
Bidhuri also wrote a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah to take some alternative steps to bring the municipal corporations of Delhi out of the financial crisis.
In a statement, Bidhuri said that according to Article 243 (i) of the Constitution, it is the constitutional responsibility of the Delhi government to form a state finance commission every five years.
“Delhi government did not discharge its constitutional responsibility due to which the municipal corporations are not getting their due share from the state taxes,” Bidhuri said.
In his letter, Bidhuri said that the municipal corporations are going through a serious financial crisis and finding it difficult to perform their duties.
He suggested that the Centre should take alternative measures so that the central government can directly provide financial help to the corporations.
“The central government should issue directions to the lieutenant governor to take immediate steps for the formation of the Fifth Finance Commission in Delhi,” Bidhuri said.
No reaction from the Delhi government was available on the claims of the BJP MLA.