Manish Sisodia Seeks Rs 900 Crore From Finance Minister To Prep For G20

The Delhi government has asked for money from the centre to host the Group of 20, or G20, summit this year.

In a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, her Delhi counterpart Manish Sisodia said the national capital's government needs at least Rs 927 crore to prepare for the summit.

"The G20 summit is a matter of pride for Delhi," Mr Sisodia said in the letter.

"The Delhi government doesn't get any funds in the Union Budget. So the centre should give additional funds to prepare for G20," Mr Sisodia, who is also Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister, said in the letter.

The Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi, led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, has been on an overdrive to beautify the city ahead of the global summit in September. India will hold the G20 presidency till November.

The Delhi government and the centre have often fought over administrative matters, with the Kejriwal government alleging Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has been working against Delhi's ruling party at the centre's behest.

The letter by Mr Sisodia seeking money for G20 would likely raise a political row.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had criticised the practice of giving "revdi", or freebies, by certain state governments, alluding to the Kejriwal government's schemes that charges no money from the public. The BJP would likely criticise and ask the Delhi government if it's "revdi" has left no funds for other work.

The Governor had also ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation to look into alleged money laundering in Delhi's now-scrapped liquor sale policy, in which Mr Sisodia is an accused.