New Delhi: Delhi Assembly on Wednesday witnessed a heated debate, with the treasury benches highlighting Delhi govt’s plans for economic development in its budget for 2025-26 and the opposition terming its revenue estimates “unrealistic”.
Chief minister Rekha Gupta, who also holds the finance portfolio, had on Tuesday presented Delhi govt’s budget for 2025-26 with an outlay of Rs 1 lakh crore.
Describing the budget as “historic” and a step towards making the city self-reliant, Gupta, in her 138-minute speech, said on Wednesday: “This budget marks the end of corruption and inefficiency. Our focus is on 10 key areas, including cleaning of the Yamuna, women’s economic empowerment, infrastructure development, water and connectivity.”
She also laid copies of the Finance Accounts and Appropriation Accounts of Delhi govt for the years 2021-22 and 2022-23 before the House.
The budget session, which was scheduled for March 24-28, was extended till April 2, with Speaker Vijender Gupta citing the need for further discussions.
During a discussion on the Delhi budget, PWD minister Parvesh Verma slammed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over its financial performance.
“Those who made claims about providing world-class health services spent Rs 2,100 crore less than planned. Those who boasted about an education model revised their estimates to Rs 16,711 crore but spent only Rs 13,987 crore. This is the reality of AAP’s big claims,” the minister said.
Slamming the budget, AAP, now in opposition after governing Delhi for a decade, said the revenue estimates were “unrealistic”. “The budget is full of baseless numbers. By the end of the financial year, we will see this Rs 1 lakh crore budget falling short,” said AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha.
AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar questioned BJP about its poll promises, saying, “Where is the Rs 2,500 for women? Where are the free gas cylinders for Holi? The festival has passed but the promises remain unfulfilled.” He also dared Delhi govt to shut down liquor stores, having previously criticised AAP govt’s excise policy.
Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa responded to the opposition by highlighting Delhi govt’s plans for economic development. “In just 30 days, we have given Delhi its biggest ever budget. We will develop three industrial parks over 1,200 acres, creating jobs for lakhs of people,” he said.
Taking a dig at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, he said, “Like a fish cannot survive without water, Kejriwal cannot live without power. Since losing the elections, he has not visited Delhi even once.”
Addressing the House during Question Hour, education minister Ashish Sood accused AAP of neglecting unauthorised colonies. “In the past 10 years, it has managed to construct less than 1km of roads in a single unauthorised colony. Even worse, only 2km of sewer lines have been laid per colony in a decade. Its development model has now been exposed,” he said.
