Atishi presents ₹76,000 crore Delhi budget themed ‘Ram Rajya’

Atishi, who announced the continuation of free schemes, said they have been working day and night for nine years to fulfil the dream of Ram Rajya

Delhi finance minister Atishi on Monday said the people’s lives have undergone a major change, schools have improved, and the per capita income has gone up two times, as she presented a ₹76,000 crore budget saying it is themed “Ram Rajya”.

Finance minister Atishi with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal ahead of the budget presentation. (PTI)

She credited the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s interventions for the increase in budget from ₹30,940 crore in 2014-15 to ₹76,000 crore despite many free schemes. Atishi announced Chief Minister Mahila Samman Yojana under which ₹1000 monthly will be given to women provided they are not income taxpayers or beneficiaries of any other government scheme. “It will help them meet many necessary small expenses,” Atishi said. She said an allocation of ₹2000 crore has been for the scheme.

Atishi, who announced the continuation of free electricity, free water supply, free public bus rides for women, and other similar schemes, said they have been working day and night for nine years to fulfil the dream of Ram Rajya. “In the last 10 years, the lives of the people of Delhi have undergone major changes. Schools have changed. The per capita income has increased by two times. The people have moved from despair to hope,” Atishi said.

Atishi referred to Ramayana and said their focus areas were education, health, women’s safety, food safety, free pilgrimage for the elderly, free electricity illuminating homes, beautification of the city, infrastructure, etc.

“Our opponents created obstacles in our work. But the way Ram did not stop even in the face of difficulties, Kejriwal did not stop and continued work for the commitments made to the people even though he faced difficulties,” she said. “We still have to do a lot of work. But the work done in nine years despite many obstacles is nothing less than a miracle. In the coming year, we will continue to fulfil the dream of Ram Rajya,” Atishi said as she presented the last budget before the national polls this summer.

She said Ram Rajya inspires AAP while explaining the theme of this year’s budget. The AAP has been presenting themed budgets with the first being “swaraj” (self-rule).

Atishi, who announced an allocation of ₹8,423 crore for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, said the government was working with the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad to modernise the tax collection system with the use of artificial intelligence.

Education received the highest allocation ( ₹16,396 crore), followed by health ( ₹8,685 crore), which have been AAP’s focus areas.

Atishi said 38 schools of excellence have been opened since 2021-22. “The tin-shed schools have turned into talent schools. Kejriwal has pushed the government schools into the league of the best in the country.” She said students from poor families were now getting admission to top institutes.

She said 2121 Delhi government school students cleared exams for admissions to top engineering and medical colleges in 2023-2024.

Atishi said the healthcare system was sick and people preferred private hospitals before 2014. “In the last nine years, the health care system has been transformed. In 2014-15, there were 9523 beds in the hospitals which has increased to 13708 now...over 1.5 times more patients are being treated in these hospitals.”

She said Kejriwal prioritised women’s safety. “In 10 years, the AAP government has taken multiple measures to provide women relief through free and quality education, free electricity, water, and free pilgrimage.”

She said around 1.1 million women travel for free on buses daily. “From 2019, Kejriwal has provided women in Delhi with the freedom to travel for free on buses...” She announced an allocated ₹80 crore for the free pilgrimage scheme.

Atishi said four state-of-the-art court complexes will be built in 2024-25 in Rohini, Karkardooma, Shastri Park, and Rouse Avenue. “In the fiscal year 2014-15, the budget for the justice system was ₹760 crore...in 2024-25, it has increased by nearly four times, reaching ₹3,098 crore.”

Atishi said Delhi successfully met its peak power demand of 7,438 MW without load shedding in 2023-24. She added that 2.2 million families receive zero electricity bills. “About 30% of Delhi’s power supply comes from green and renewable energy.”

She announced ₹3,353 crore allocation for the power sector. “The subsidy scheme will continue.” She added around 62.5% of homes in Delhi receive water completely free of cost. “After 2014, the Kejriwal government has laid 2422 kilometers of new water pipelines and 3100 kilometers of new sewer pipelines... 99.6% of unauthorised colonies have water pipelines.”

She said the AAP government has developed a network of roads and flyovers in Delhi. “The Kejriwal government has constructed 30 new corridors, flyovers, bridges, and underpasses in the past nine years, to make traffic smoother in the city.”