The Government of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi has unveiled its ambitious Budget 2025-26, reflecting a comprehensive plan to enhance infrastructure, social welfare, industry, and governance in the city. With a total budget allocation of ₹1,00,000 crore, this year’s budget represents a significant 31.5% increase over the previous year’s budget estimates and a 44% rise from the revised estimates of 2024-25. This budget underscores Delhi’s commitment to becoming a world-class city while ensuring inclusive growth and development for all its residents.
Financial Overview: A Robust and Strategic Allocation
The total budget of ₹1,00,000 crore for FY 2025-26 is divided strategically to address both revenue and capital requirements:
- Budget under Schemes/Programmes/Projects: ₹59,300 crore
- Establishment Budget: ₹40,700 crore
- Revenue Budget: ₹71,885 crore (72%)
- Capital Budget: ₹28,115 crore (28%)
The proposed budget will be financed through multiple sources, including tax revenue (₹68,700 crore), non-tax revenue (₹750 crore), small savings loans (₹15,000 crore), Central Road Funds (₹1,000 crore), centrally sponsored schemes (₹4,128 crore), and grants-in-aid from the Government of India (₹7,348 crore), with the remaining balance sourced from the opening balance of the government.
This robust financial planning ensures that Delhi has sufficient resources to implement transformative projects across diverse sectors, from infrastructure to health, education, and social welfare.
Key Focus Areas of the Budget
The Government of Delhi has identified 10 priority areas that will receive focused attention in the upcoming fiscal year. These areas are designed to drive economic growth, enhance quality of life, and make Delhi a model city for other regions.
1. Infrastructure Development: Building a Modern and Connected Delhi
Infrastructure remains at the heart of the budget, with extensive allocations for roads, bridges, expressways, and urban development. Key initiatives include:
- Traffic-Free Expressways and Seamless Connectivity: Delhi is set to enter a new era of traffic-free expressways, elevated corridors, and smart surveillance systems to reduce congestion and improve commuter experience.
- Central Roads Fund Support: ₹1,000 crore allocated for improving Delhi’s connectivity with the broader National Capital Region (NCR).
- Smart Surveillance: Plans to install 50,000 additional cameras to enhance security, supplementing the existing network of 2,80,000 cameras.
- Road and Bridge Improvement: ₹3,843 crore earmarked to upgrade Delhi’s roads and bridges.
- Chief Minister Development Fund: A new ₹1,400 crore scheme to supplement ongoing infrastructure projects, ensuring holistic urban development.
- Slum and JJ Colony Development: ₹696 crore allocated to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), marking a 157% increase over last year.
- Women-Friendly Infrastructure: ₹230 crore earmarked for footpaths, drains, toilets, and bathing facilities in underserved areas.
- Affordable Housing: ₹20 crore allocated for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) to provide housing benefits to low-income groups.
- Local Infrastructure Enhancement: ₹350 crore under MLA-LAD for roads, parks, street lighting, and other community needs.
- Atal Canteens Initiative: ₹100 crore proposed to establish 100 locations offering nutritious and subsidized food by the birth centenary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Through these measures, Delhi aims to become a city defined by modern infrastructure, ease of mobility, and sustainable urban planning.
2. Industrial Development and Investment Promotion: Path to Prosperity
Delhi is positioning itself as a preferred hub for business and investment. The budget focuses on:
- New Industrial Policy: Formulating a progressive industrial policy to attract investors and enhance industrial growth.
- Warehousing Policy: Establishing secure and efficient warehousing facilities to support industrial expansion.
- Ease of Doing Business: Introducing a single-window system to streamline regulatory processes for businesses.
- Zero Tolerance for Illegal Industries: Strict measures to curb polluting and unregulated industries.
- Trader Welfare Board: A dedicated board to identify and address the challenges faced by traders in Delhi.
- Skill Development for Cottage Industries: ₹50 crore allocated for skill promotion in sectors like poultry, handicrafts, handloom, and food processing.
- Investment Summit: A biennial summit to showcase Delhi’s investment opportunities and attract global and domestic investors.
These initiatives aim to boost industrial activity, create employment, and promote economic resilience in Delhi.
3. Water, Sanitation, and Yamuna Cleaning: Clean Delhi, Healthy Citizens
Recognizing the importance of water and sanitation, the budget allocates ₹9,000 crore for water and sanitation initiatives, including:
- Clean Water Supply: Ensuring safe drinking water for Delhi’s 3 crore population.
- Digital Monitoring: Introducing GPS tracking for water tankers through the “DJB Tanker” mobile app.
- Advanced Water Management: ₹150 crore for automation and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems.
- Sewage and Drainage Development: ₹500 crore for sewage treatment plant improvements, ₹250 crore for old sewer line replacement, and ₹250 crore for water treatment plants.
- Yamuna Cleaning Projects: 40 decentralized sewage treatment plants (₹500 crore) and ₹40 crore for modern equipment like trash skimmers and dredge utilities.
- Rainwater Harvesting and Emergency Water Storage: ₹50 crore and ₹150 crore allocated respectively.
- Pipeline Upgradation: ₹200 crore to replace open canals with pipelines from Haryana for better water efficiency.
Additionally, ₹2,000 crore in assistance from the central government is being sought to ensure Delhi’s water infrastructure meets international standards.
4. Health and Education: Foundations of Delhi’s Future
The budget envisions a healthy and educated population as the cornerstone of progress:
- Healthcare Expansion: Adding 16,186 beds by completing pending hospital projects.
- Health and Wellness Centres (HWC) / Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM): ₹320 crore allocated to establish 400 new centers.
- PM-ABHIM Scheme: ₹1,666.66 crore for critical care and diagnostic facilities.
- Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission: ₹9.92 crore for digital health services.
- Alternative Healthcare: Implementation of Delhi State AYUSH Society (DSAS).
- Education Initiatives: ₹100 crore for 60 new CM Shri Schools aligned with NEP 2020, ₹21 crore for the Mahamana Vidya Shakti Mission, and ₹50 crore for 175 new computer labs.
- Smart Classrooms: ₹100 crore for converting 2,000 classrooms into smart classrooms as part of a phased plan covering 7,000 classrooms.
- Technical Education: ₹618 crore for various technical institutions, including DSEU, NSTU, DPSRU, IGDTU, DTU, and ITIs.
- Edu-City in Narela: ₹500 crore for setting up a university cluster with 1,270 flats for faculty and students.
- Incubation and Entrepreneurship: ₹2.43 crore for 11 incubation centers to promote youth entrepreneurship.
These initiatives aim to provide Delhi’s residents with world-class education and healthcare facilities, ensuring skill development and employability for future generations.
5. Tourism, Art, Language, and Culture: Promoting Heritage and Creativity
Delhi aims to become a global tourism hub while preserving its cultural heritage:
- Tourism Promotion: ₹117 crore allocated to boost tourism, including river boat tours and international film festivals.
- Talent Development: ₹5 crore for a Talent Hunt Scheme to encourage local artists and performers.
- Cultural Institutions: Increased budget for Maithili-Bhojpuri Academy from ₹3.5 crore to ₹6.3 crore.
- Tourist Circuits: Development of new circuits connecting War Memorial, Kartavya Path, Prime Minister Museum, and New Parliament House.
- Annual Winter Festival: Featuring cultural shows, food festivals, and musical concerts.
These initiatives are designed to create a vibrant cultural ecosystem, attracting tourists and promoting Delhi’s rich heritage.
6. Social Security and Development: Empowering the Vulnerable
Delhi’s budget focuses heavily on social welfare and financial empowerment:
- Social Security Allocation: ₹10,047 crore, with ₹9,780 crore for welfare schemes under Women and Child Development, Social Welfare, and SC/ST/OBC Welfare departments.
- Senior Citizens: Increased monthly assistance to ₹2,500 for ages 60-69 and ₹3,000 for above 70, with additional support for SC/ST/minority communities.
- Women Empowerment: Launch of Mahila Samridhi Yojana with ₹5,100 crore, providing ₹2,500 monthly to eligible women.
- Maternity Support: ₹210 crore for Mukhya Mantri Matru Vandna Yojana, supplementing PMMVY benefits up to ₹21,000.
- Childcare Facilities: ₹50 crore for 500 Palna-Anganwadi cum creche centers.
- Anganwadi Upgradation: ₹206 crore to upgrade 1,000 centers into Saksham Anganwadi Centres with modern infrastructure.
- Housing for Women: Establishment of 2 new ‘Sakhi Niwas’ hostels, adding to the 14 existing ones.
- Education for SC Students: ₹5 crore for Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Stipend Scheme to support vocational education.
- Farmer Support: ₹4.85 crore under PM Kisan State Top-Up Scheme, providing an additional ₹3,000 annually.
- Rural Development: ₹1,000 crore for roads, drainage, street lights, and community development.
These programs aim to create a social safety net, enhance women’s empowerment, and ensure holistic development for marginalized communities.
7. Seamless Connectivity and Public Transport
Improving mobility is central to Delhi’s development strategy:
- Electric Bus Fleet Expansion: Over 5,000 additional electric buses to create the world’s second-largest electric fleet.
- Delhi Metro Expansion: ₹2,929.66 crore for Phase-4 Balanced 03 Corridors.
- Urban Transport Projects: ₹1,000 crore allocated under central funding to enhance urban mobility.
- Public Transport Enhancement: ₹12,952 crore earmarked to improve Delhi’s transport network and commuter experience.
These investments aim to create a modern, eco-friendly, and efficient public transport system, reducing congestion and pollution.
8. Irrigation and Flood Control
Addressing waterlogging and floods is a critical priority:
- Budget Allocation: ₹603 crore for the Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC) Department.
- Drain Remodeling: ₹150 crore for enhancing water-carrying capacity.
- Open Water Body Management: Cleaning and desilting projects for flood prevention.
- Modern Machinery Procurement: Ensuring efficient flood control measures.
These measures are intended to safeguard lives and property from flood risks during the monsoon season.
9. Power, Sustainable Development, and Pollution Control
Delhi aims to become a green, sustainable, and pollution-free city:
- Power Supply: ₹3,847 crore to ensure uninterrupted 24-hour electricity.
- PM Surya Ghar Scheme: Subsidy of up to ₹78,000 for rooftop solar installations, with ₹50 crore for state top-up covering 2.3 lakh rooftops.
- Overhead Cable Removal: ₹100 crore for “Taron Ke Jaal Se Mukti” initiative.
- Environmental Protection: ₹506 crore for pollution control and waste management.
- Urban Greenery: ₹20 crore for parks and gardens, with 70 lakh saplings to be planted.
- Air and Water Monitoring: 6 new CAAQM stations and 32 water quality monitoring stations.
- Integrated Command & Control Center: Ensuring real-time monitoring and data-driven environmental decision-making.
10. Smart and Good Governance
Governance reforms are central to Delhi’s vision of a perform, reform, and transform government:
- Emergency Operations Centre: ₹30 crore for crisis management and command control centers.
- Local Bodies Support: ₹6,897 crore, including education, healthcare, sanitation, tax assignments, stamp fees, and parking revenue.
- Judicial Infrastructure: ₹490 crore for 200 additional courtrooms and ₹200 crore for hybrid court systems.
- Safety and Fire Services: Deployment of small fire engines, 17 water bowsers, and specialized fire equipment.
- Home Guards Expansion: From 10,285 to 25,000 volunteers.
- Youth Employment: ₹2 crore for job fairs, ₹10 crore for welfare board for gig and informal workers.
- Digital Governance: ₹15 crore for Delhi 311 App to enable timely grievance redressal.
- Innovation and Rehabilitation: ₹10 crore for Chief Minister’s Young Visionaries Programme and prison skill development programs.
- Jail Infrastructure: ₹10 crore for consultation and relocation plans for Tihar Jail, and ₹20 crore for Lampur Restriction / Detention Centre renovation.
Other Key Schemes and Initiatives
- ‘Vivaad se Vishwaas’ Scheme: Supporting middle-class traders.
- New Medical Colleges: Opening two new medical colleges in Delhi.
- State Guest House: Addressing accommodation needs for visiting dignitaries.
- Auditoriums and Stadiums: Expansion of cultural and sports infrastructure.
- ISBT Redevelopment: Redevelopment of Anand Vihar and Sarai Kale Khan ISBTs, and a new ISBT in Dwarka.
