Air conditioners may soon become costlier with chief minister Sheila Dikshit keen to impose higher tax on them. At a meeting with Planning Commission which cleared a plan size of Rs 16,626 crore for the capital for 2013-14, Dikshit said the sale of ACs had increased and power consumption was much higher in the night than during the day.

Delhi government told the commission about its proposal to bring all welfare schemes providing financial support in the form of pension, scholarship and subsidy within the ambit of Direct Benefits Transfer scheme from July 2013.

The commission was told that the government was giving Rs 1,000 as financial support every month to transgenders. The plan size for 2013-14 was up by 4.8% from Rs 15,862 crore for 2012-13.

"We have approved the plan which is Rs 16,626 crore, it is a big increase from the actual levels achieved last year," deputy chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia said.

"The services in Delhi over the years have improved hugely in transport, delivery of water, e-services, e-tendering, health and education, social welfare and pensions," he said, adding that the commission had been emphasizing on taking more steps to improve the sewerage system. Delhi government has introduced a sewerage treatment scheme which is almost 40% complete.

Dikshit expressed confidence that Delhi will be able to utilize the funds properly.