“Era of corruption over”: Delhi CM Rekha Gupta unveils Rs.1 lakh crore budget with 10 focus areas

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta presented a ₹1 lakh crore Budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, outlining 10 key focus areas, including infrastructure, water supply, women’s welfare, and economic growth. The Budget marks a significant 31.5% increase from the previous year, with a major emphasis on capital expenditure, which has been doubled to ₹28,000 crore. Calling it a "historic Budget," Gupta asserted that her government would reverse the economic decline of the past decade and end corruption and inefficiency in governance.

One of the major highlights of the Budget is the rejuvenation of the Yamuna River, modeled after the Sabarmati riverfront project. The Delhi government has allocated ₹500 crore for Yamuna cleaning and ₹500 crore for upgrading sewage treatment plants (STPs). Additionally, ₹250 crore has been set aside for replacing old sewer lines to ensure only treated water enters the river. Water and sanitation remain a top priority, with ₹9,000 crore earmarked for various clean drinking water projects.

In the health sector, the government has allocated ₹6,874 crore for improving medical infrastructure, setting up new health and wellness centers, and expanding the Ayushman Arogya Mandir initiative. On the transportation front, ₹1,000 crore has been earmarked for enhancing connectivity within Delhi-NCR. For women’s welfare, ₹5,100 crore will be used to provide ₹2,500 per month to eligible women, and 50,000 new CCTV cameras will be installed across the city to improve safety.

The Budget also focuses on making Delhi a hub for business and innovation. A new industrial and warehouse policy will be introduced, and a Traders’ Welfare Board will be set up. To attract global investors, Delhi will host its first-ever Global Investment Summit, which will be held every two years. To support small businesses and skill development, ₹50 crore has been allocated for programs, including bee-keeping initiatives.

For underprivileged communities, the government has announced ₹696 crore for slum cluster development and ₹100 crore for setting up 100 Atal Canteens across the city. Emphasizing a difference in governance, CM Gupta compared her government’s priorities with the previous AAP administration, saying, "You built a ‘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."

The education sector has also received significant attention. The Budget includes ₹100 crore to launch CM SHRI Schools, inspired by PM SHRI Schools and aligned with the New Education Policy. Gupta criticized the previous AAP government for allegedly failing students in 9th and 11th grades to manipulate Class 10 and 12 pass percentages. To support students, the government will provide free laptops to 1,200 students who pass Class 10 and has allocated ₹750 crore for this initiative. Additionally, a new education hub will be developed in Narela.

This Budget marks 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. The government has promised a transformation in governance, with a focus on economic growth, infrastructure, and social welfare.