Delhi to have lowest taxes in country: Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said his government was committed to reducing taxes to make Delhi a state with the lowest taxes in the country.

Addressing mediapersons after the Delhi government presented its annual budget, Kejriwal said: "VAT has been reduced on many goods. We are sure that if people of Delhi can follow the odd-even scheme, then they will also cooperate and pay taxes properly. This is how we`ll be able to reduce and rationalize taxes.

"We shall keep reducing taxes and VAT, and soon within four-five years taxes in Delhi will be the lowest in India," he said.

He also took a dig at other state governments for decreasing the budget allocation for health and education.

"Education and health budget has been reduced by other state governments to promote private education and private hospitals. This is because many ministers in other states own schools and hospitals. They have spoiled the public education system and public health system," the chief minister said.

"We are working to strengthen the public education system so that soon people will withdraw their wards from private schools and admit them in government schools. Other state governments jeopardized the public health services just to benefit the private players to keep their private hospitals running. We are here to change that," he added.

Kejriwal also stressed on the need to improve health services in the capital.

"For the first time the USA had appreciated our health system. They have appreciated the models of the mohalla clinics and want to emulate these," said Kejriwal.

"Much has been done for women security. About 42,000 dark spots in Delhi have been identified and these will be illuminated. About Rs.200 crore will be spent on media advertisements. Of Rs.526 crore allocated last year, only Rs.150 crore was spent on advertisements and the rest was saved."