Delhi Budget: Women’s empowerment, Yamuna, pollution key focus areas

This is the first Budget by BJP-led govt in Delhi in over 26 yrs

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday presented Rs 1L crore FY26 Budget with focus areas including Yamuna cleaning, economic empowerment of women, infrastructure, water, and connectivity, and pollution, asserting that it is a roadmap for making the national capital self-reliant.

The CM termed the Budget as “historic”, emphasising that the era of “corruption and inefficiency” was over. This is the first budget presented by the BJP-led government in Delhi in over 26 years, following the party’s victory over the Aam Aadmi Party in last month’s Assembly elections. Highlighting the focus on infrastructure development in the city, the CM announced that the government has doubled capital expenditure to Rs 28,000 crore in its 2025-26 Budget. The total Budget outlay for fiscal year 2025-26 marks a 31.5 per cent increase from the previous year. 

To combat pollution in Delhi, Rs 300 crore has been set aside. The government has allocated R500 crore for Yamuna cleaning, ensuring that only treated water enters the river through the decentralization of 40 sewage treatment plants (STPs). 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 6874 crore, with a focus on setting up health and wellness centres and expanding the Ayushman Arogya Mandir initiative. 

Further, R1000 crore has been allocated for improved transport links connecting NCR and a total of Rs 12,952 crore for the transport sector. To curb corruption in the free-bus ride scheme for women, the government will replace pink tickets with cards. For women’s welfare, Rs 5100 crore has been earmarked to provide Rs 2500 per month to eligible women. Additionally, the government will install 50,000 CCTV cameras across the city to enhance women’s safety.

To reform the education system, Gupta said that the government will set up ‘CM SHRI Schools’, inspired by ‘PM SHRI Schools’ and aligned with the New Education Policy 2020. The FY26 Budget has allocated Rs 100 crore for these schools. Additionally, the Delhi government will provide free laptops to 1200 students passing class 10th and has allocated Rs 7.5 crore for this.

Delhi to relocate Tihar jail

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced plans to relocate Tihar Jail to the city’s outskirts and allocated R10 crore for survey and consultancy services. Established in 1958, Tihar Jail is one of the largest prison complexes in India, having nine central prisons.

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