Delhi’s GSDP contracted by 5.68% in 2020-21: LG (Ld)

New Delhi, March 8 : Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Monday said the Delhis economy is estimated to have contracted by 5.68% in the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in the current financial year.

Addressing the Budget session of the seventh legislative assembly of Delhi, Baijal said, "The year gone by has been unprecedented.Covid-19 has adversely affected every aspect of the life of Delhis citizens.The pandemic created the greatest threat to human life and health, ever witnessed in the 21st Century," the Lieutenant Governor said.

He also talked about various initiatives taken by Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government in order to mitigate the impact of the contraction of the economy on people."Delhi government continued its commitment on electricity subsidy, free water supply to domestic households and confessional ride for students and free ride for women in DTC buses," he said.

Baijal asserted that though the economy of the Delhi government got affected due to Covid-19 pandemic in the current financial year, the government has taken all possible measures to improve and is committed to bringing it back on track.The Lieutenant Government also outlined the measures taken by the Delhi government in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, such as providing food to the distressed, increasing the number of beds in government hospitals, setting up of the first plasma bank, home isolation with better facilities among many others.

"During lockdown Mukhyamantri Corona Sahayta scheme was launched to provide ration to all needy persons.Accordingly, provision of 5 kg of food grains per beneficiary was made.

This also accounted for around 71 lakh people who were not covered under the regular Public Distribution System (PDS) category between April and May last year."Baijal told the house that the Delhi government has enforced as many as 44 labour laws to ensure that all welfare schemes of the government reach them.

Speaking about the Yamuna river water, he said that Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs) are being set up with modern technology to ensure higher treatment quality of water."Under the Yamuna action plan phase-3, Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has taken up reconstruction work of sewage treatment plants at Rithala, Kondli and Okhla.

Among many other steps taken by the Delhi government, Baijal mentioned about the launch of a dedicated web portal Rozgar Bazar to help job seekers to find employment and reduction of circle rate by 20 per cent till September 30 this year in order to activate the realty sector.