New Delhi, Jul 28 (IANS): Delhi Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena has turned down the proposal to hike fees in diploma-level technical institutions, operated and owned by private organisations in the national capital, a source said on Thursday.

The source added that the LG has advised the Chief Minister to 'postpone the proposed fee hike in privately owned Institutions that run diploma level courses and are affiliated to the Board of Technical Education, GNCTD, by one year'.

Saxena has cited the fact that "citizens are still recovering from the impact of economic restrictions imposed to contain the Covid pandemic".

The source added further that this particular file has raised the eyebrows as it saw the departure of general practice where the file is sent to the LG with a noting from the Chief Minister's PS stating that 'CM has seen the file', this file had specific recommendation and signature of Arvind Kejriwal himself.

"The AAP government that is strongly opposing a hike of merely 1 per cent in taxes, that also after as long as 2004 by MCD is discreetly supporting hike to tune of 7 per cent by private education mafia," said the source.

The LG has taken this decision in "larger public interest, to enable students from all sections of society, particularly those from the lower economic strata to pursue various diploma level courses for attaining employment", added the official source.