New Delhi: The Delhi Assembly on Wednesday witnessed a heated debate, with the treasury benches highlighting the city government’s plans for economic development in its budget for 2025-26 while the Opposition called its revenue estimates “unrealistic”.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who also holds the finance portfolio, on Tuesday presented the city government’s 2025-26 budget with an outlay of Rs 1 lakh crore. She had described the budget as “historic” and a step towards making Delhi self-reliant.
“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,” Gupta had said in her 138-minute speech.
The budget session, scheduled between March 24 and 28, was extended to April 2, with Speaker Vijender Gupta citing the need for further discussions.
During a discussion on the budget, PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh slammed AAP over its financial performance.
“Those who made claims (about providing) world-class health (services) spent Rs 2,100 crore lower 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,” he said.
AAP, now in opposition after governing Delhi for a decade, slammed the budget and said its 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 the BJP over its poll promises and asked, “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 the government to shut down liquor stores, having previously criticised the AAP government’s excise policy.
Responding to the criticism, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa highlighted the government’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 supremo 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.”
Education Minister Ashish Sood accused AAP of neglecting unauthorised colonies.
“In 10 years, AAP built less than a kilometre of road and only two kilometres of sewer lines in a single colony. Its development model has now been exposed,” he said.