Delhi CM Rekha Gupta presents ₹1-lakh-crore Budget with focus on self-reliance

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta presented a ₹1-lakh-crore budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 on Tuesday, focusing on 10 key areas to drive the city's self-reliance. The budget, which also emphasises infrastructure, water, and connectivity, allocates ₹5,100 crore to provide ₹2,500 per month to eligible women.

In her 138-minute address, Gupta, who also holds the finance portfolio, called the maiden budget of the BJP-led Delhi government "historic," marking the end of what she described as an era of "corruption and inefficiency." This is the first budget by a BJP government in Delhi in over 26 years, following the party's victory over the AAP in last month's Assembly elections.

Gupta began by outlining the major allocations and initiatives designed to position Delhi as a model of self-reliance and modern governance. The capital expenditure has been doubled to ₹28,000 crore, with a significant increase of 31.5% in the total budget compared to the previous year.

A major focus of the budget is environmental sustainability, with ₹500 crore earmarked for cleaning the Yamuna River. This includes decentralizing 40 sewage treatment plants (STPs) to ensure only treated water enters the river.

The health and sanitation sector also saw substantial investments, with ₹9,000 crore allocated for clean drinking water and sanitation projects across the city. An additional ₹6,874 crore will be spent on health initiatives, including the establishment of new health and wellness centers and the expansion of the Ayushman Arogya Mandir initiative.

In a bid to empower women, the budget includes a provision of ₹5,100 crore to provide ₹2,500 per month to eligible women. Gupta also announced the installation of 50,000 CCTV cameras across Delhi to enhance women's safety.

On the education front, the Delhi government plans to launch "CM SHRI Schools," in line with the New Education Policy, with an initial ₹100 crore allocation. Gupta also highlighted plans to provide free laptops to 1,200 students who pass class 10. Additionally, a new education hub will be developed in Narela, with a pilot project starting with ₹ 100 crore in funding.

Delhi's pollution control initiatives received ₹300 cr, with an additional ₹506 cr allocated to the environment and forest departments.

The budget also allocated ₹696 crore for development in slum clusters.