New Delhi: Delhi Finance Minister Atishi on Monday presented the 10th annual budget of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for the financial year 2024-25. The budget, which has an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore, was themed around the concept of ‘Ram Rajya’, a term popularized by Mahatma Gandhi to describe the ideal state of governance based on justice, equality, and truth.
‘Ram Rajya’ vision
Atishi, who delivered her maiden budget speech in the state assembly, said that the AAP government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was inspired by Lord Ram and his values. “We have been trying day and night for the last 10 years to fulfill this dream of ‘Ram Rajya’,” she said.
She added that the AAP government had brought a big transformation in the lives of the people of Delhi in the last decade, with significant improvements in the economy, per capita income, infrastructure, education, health, power, and other sectors.
She also announced a new scheme called ‘Mahila Samman Yojana’, under which every woman above 18 years of age will get Rs 1,000 per month for pursuing education, watching movies, or any other purpose.
The education sector gets the highest allocation
The education sector, which has been the flagship area of the AAP government, received the highest allocation of Rs 16,396 crore, accounting for 21.57 percent of the total budget expenditure.
Atishi said that the AAP government had made ‘Sikshya’ the ‘Raj Dharm’ and had built 11,000 new classrooms in the last nine years. She also highlighted the achievements of the government schools, such as the launch of 38 Schools of Specialized Excellence, the establishment of three new universities, and the success of the students in various competitive exams.
Health sector gets Rs 8,685 crore
The health sector, which was crucial in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, got an allocation of Rs 8,685 crore, which is 11.43 percent of the total budget.
Atishi said that the AAP government had provided free and quality healthcare to the people of Delhi, especially the poor and the marginalized. She mentioned the initiatives such as the Mohalla Clinics, the Delhi Health Card, the free Covid-19 testing and treatment, and the vaccination drive.
She also announced that the government will set up 100 new Mohalla Clinics, upgrade 11 existing hospitals, and construct eight new hospitals in the next financial year.
Other key sectors and announcements
The power sector, which has been providing free electricity to consumers of up to 200 units, got an allocation of Rs 3,056 crore. The government also announced a subsidy of Rs 800 per month for consumers using more than 200 units.
The transport sector, which aims to improve the public transport system and reduce pollution, got an allocation of Rs 5,506 crore. The government announced that it will procure 1,000 new electric buses, install 500 new charging stations, and provide free travel to women in DTC and cluster buses.
The road sector, which is responsible for the maintenance and development of roads and flyovers, got an allocation of Rs 1,507 crore. The government announced that it will construct 500 km of new roads, 100 km of new footpaths, and 40 new flyovers in the next financial year.
The water sector, which has been providing free water up to 20,000 liters per month to the households, got an allocation of Rs 2,934 crore. The government announced that it will provide a 24×7 water supply to all the residents of Delhi by 2026.
The budget session of the Delhi Assembly, which commenced on February 15, has been extended till March 8. This is likely to be the longest assembly session under the AAP government’s regime.
