Rs 1 Lakh Crore Delhi Budget: Focus On Yamuna Cleaning, Women's Welfare

Delhi Budget 2025: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday presented Rs 1 lakh crore FY26 Budget with 10 focus areas, including electricity, roads, water, and connectivity.

Calling it a "historic Budget," Ms Gupta emphasized that the era of "corruption and inefficiency" was over, and announced that the government had doubled capital expenditure to Rs 28,000 crore.

The Budget outlay for fiscal year 2025-26, marks a 31.5 per cent increase from the previous year.

"This is not an ordinary Budget, this Budget is the first step to develop Delhi which was ruined in the past 10 years. Delhi went down in every aspect of development in the past decade. The previous government ruined the economic health of the national capital like termites," Ms Gupta, who also holds the Finance portfolio said.

A major focus of the Budget is the cleaning and rejuvenation of the Yamuna River, inspired by the Sabarmati riverfront project. The government has allocated Rs 500 crore for Yamuna cleaning, ensuring that only treated water enters the river through the decentralization of 40 sewage treatment plants (STPs).

Additionally, Rs 500 crore has been earmarked for the repair and upgradation of STPs, and Rs 250 crore for replacing old sewer lines.

A major focus has also been placed on clean drinking water and sanitation, with Rs 9,000 crore allocated for related projects.

The health sector has been allocated Rs 6,874 crore, with a focus on setting up health and wellness centres and expanding the Ayushman Arogya Mandir initiative.

The Delhi government has allocated Rs 1,000 crore for improved transport links within Delhi-NCR.

For women's welfare, Rs 5,100 crore has been earmarked to provide Rs 2,500 per month to eligible women. Additionally, the government will install 50,000 CCTV cameras across the city to enhance women's safety.

Ms Gupta announced that the government aims to make Delhi an investment- and innovation-friendly city. To achieve this, a new industrial policy and a new warehouse policy will be introduced. A Traders' Welfare Board will also be established.

Furthermore, Delhi will host its first-ever Global Investment Summit, which will be held every two years. To support small-scale industries, Rs 50 crore has been earmarked for skill development programs, including bee-keeping.

The government has also allocated Rs 696 crore for the development of slum clusters and Rs 100 crore to set up 100 Atal Canteens across Delhi.

"There is a lot of difference between us and them (AAP). "You (AAP) made 'Sheesh Mahal' for yourself, we will build houses for the poor. You installed pot toilets worth lakhs, we will make toilets for the people in slum areas," she said.

On education, Ms Gupta attacked the previous AAP government, accusing it of misleading people about the quality of education. "The AAP government failed many students in 9th and 11th standard so that their 10th and 12th results appear better," she alleged.

To reform the education system, the government will launch CM SHRI Schools, inspired by PM SHRI Schools and aligned with the New Education Policy. The FY26 Budget has allocated Rs 100 crore for these schools.

Additionally, Delhi government will provide free laptops to 1,200 students passing class 10th and has allocated Rs 750 crore for this.

Ms Gupta also announced a new education hub in the Narela area.

This Budget is the first presented by a BJP-led government in Delhi in over 26 years, following the party's victory over the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in last month's Assembly elections.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)