Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Presents ₹1 Lakh Crore Budget for 2025-26

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta presented the 2025-26 Budget in the state assembly on Tuesday. She highlighted ten key focus areas, including infrastructure, electricity, roads, and water. This marks the first budget of the newly elected BJP-led government.

While addressing the assembly, CM Gupta called it a "historic budget." She stated, "This is not an ordinary budget. It is the first step to rebuild Delhi, which suffered setbacks over the past ten years." She also accused the previous government of damaging Delhi’s economy.

Budget Highlights

The Delhi government has increased the total budget by 31.5% from the previous year, bringing it to ₹1 lakh crore. Moreover, the capital expenditure budget has doubled to ₹28,000 crore.

Healthcare: ₹2,144 crore allocated for the PM Jan Arogya Yojana.
Women’s Welfare: ₹5,100 crore set aside for the ‘Mahila Samridhi Yojana,’ providing ₹2,500 per month to eligible women.
Transport & Roads: ₹1,000 crore for better connectivity in Delhi-NCR. Additionally, ₹3,843 crore allocated for roads and bridges.
Safety & Security: 50,000 CCTV cameras to be installed for women’s safety.
Affordable Meals: ₹100 crore allotted for 100 new Atal Canteens.
Slum Development: ₹696 crore dedicated to improving slum clusters and JJ colonies.
Water & Sanitation: ₹9,000 crore allocated for clean drinking water and sanitation. Furthermore, ₹500 crore reserved for sewer treatment plant upgrades and ₹250 crore for replacing old sewer lines.
Yamuna Cleanup: ₹500 crore set aside to ensure only treated water enters the river.
Education: ₹100 crore allocated for ‘CM Shri Schools,’ inspired by PM Shri Schools. Also, ₹750 crore will fund free laptops for 1,200 students who pass Class 10.
Arts & Culture: ₹30 crore assigned for hosting an International Film Festival in Delhi.
Maternity Benefits: ₹210 crore designated for nutrient kits and a ₹21,000 allowance for expecting mothers.
Public Transport: ₹12,952 crore earmarked for transport improvements. Moreover, the government will issue free bus ride cards to women instead of pink tickets to prevent corruption.
Energy & Environment: ₹100 crore allocated for a pilot project to remove overhead electrical lines. Additionally, ₹300 crore will help curb pollution, while ₹506 crore will support the environment and forest department.
Civic Services: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will receive ₹6,897 crore.
New Jail: The government plans to set up a new jail outside the city to relocate Tihar Jail inmates.

Criticism of the Previous Government

CM Gupta strongly criticized the former AAP-led government. She said, "You built ‘Sheesh Mahal’ for yourself. We will build homes for the poor. You installed expensive pot toilets, but we will construct proper toilets in slums."

She also accused AAP of manipulating education results. She claimed they failed students in Class 9 and 11 to make Class 10 and 12 results look better.