Delhi's per capita income drops as govt looks at matching Singapore by 2047

Delhi, March 9: While the annual earning of the people of the national capital dipped by an average of more than Rs 2,000 in 2020-21 due to the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday said his government aimed to make the city's per capita income equivalent to Singapore by 2047. Addressing the post-budget press conference, Sisodia said that with the annual budget for 2021-22, the Delhi government has prepared a roadmap vision for increasing the annual income of the people of Delhi. "We are aiming towards making Delhi's per capita income equivalent to Singapore's by 2047. A growth of 16% in the income would be required to successfully achieve this goal. It will be difficult but we will work towards making it a success," Sisodia, who also holds the finance department of Delhi government, said. In its fourth consecutive economic survey reports presented on the first day of Delhi Assembly session on Monday had told that Delhi's per capita income dropped from Rs 3,76,211 in 2019-20 to Rs 3,54,004 in 2020-21, while the state gross domestic product (SGDP) shrunk by around 5.68%. It was the first time since 2010-11 when Delhi per capita income has dropped. The Delhi Finance Minister, however, tried to find place to recover claiming the AAP ruling Delhi government maintained the surplus of the annual budget despite the Covid-19 pandemic situation when its revenue resources were shut for several months. Later reacting on the budget, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the annual budget of this year has come after facing tough phases which were never expected. "I would call it a tough budget because during Covid-19 pandemic revenue resources of Delhi government remained shut for several months, whereas the expenditure increased many times. It would not have been possible without a strong economic policy." The Delhi government on Tuesday presented a budget outlay of RS 69,000 crore, which is reportedly a 6% surplus against last year's budget. (IANS)