Delhi Budget has something for all with big infra push: Kejriwal

The chief minister outlined components of the proposed infrastructure schemes -- beautification of roads, 26 new flyovers, 3 double-decker flyovers, 1,600 e-buses.

New Delhi Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal hailed the Delhi Budget 2023-24 for its infrastructure push, and said it has “something for everyone”, even as he reminded people that Manish Sisodia, who resigned last week after his arrest in the excise policy case, was unable to present the Budget for the first time in nine years.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal addresses a press conference after the presentation of the Delhi Budget at Delhi Legislative Assembly in New Delhi on Wednesday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

“We missed [former] finance minister Manish Sisodia, entire Delhi missed him; but finance minister Kailash Gahlot has done a great job to uplift his legacy,” said Kejriwal.

The chief minister outlined components of the proposed infrastructure schemes -- beautification of roads, 26 new flyovers, 3 double-decker flyovers, 1,600 e-buses, electrification of bus depots, 1,400 bus queue shelters, cleaning of Yamuna and flattening of three garbage mountains -- as projects that would go a long way in making Delhi, “clean, beautiful and modern”.

Speaking at a press conference two hours after the Budget presentation was over, Kejriwal also said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has allocated ₹4,788 crore for all subsidies to continue, and that its focus will continue to be on education and health care.

“The AAP government has prioritised infra projects such as the beautification of roads, flyovers, double-decker flyovers, electrification of bus depots, bus queues, cleaning of Yamuna, and elimination of the garbage mountains. The Delhi Metro network has increased from 193km to 390km, and the number of Metro stations has risen from 140 to 286 (from 2015 to 2023). Additionally, 7,389 buses are running in Delhi, which is an all-time high. The AAP government has increased the water supply from 870-880 MGD to 995 MGD and aims to increase it to 1250 MGD by 2025,” Kejriwal said, listing some of the highlights of the Budget.

He outlined projects across nine areas to further buttress the infra push. “All 1,400km PWD roads network will be enhanced and beautified. The roads will be swept by mechanical sweepers daily; 70 mechanical sweepers are being purchased for each assembly segment. The AAP government has already built 28 flyovers in the city and is working on another 26 in different parts of the city. The roads, central verges, footpaths, green belts will be washed every day; the government will procure water sprinklers for this. All bad roads, and broken central verges will be repaired regularly. The regular paintings of roads, central verges and road signs will be done every three months. All encroachments will be regularly removed and the carpeting of roads will be done regularly,” Kejriwal said.

Speaking about another key promise, Kejriwal said that the Yamuna will be cleaned by 2025, and pointed to a six-point action plan for this mentioned in the Budget. “As part of the plan, new STPs (sewage treatment plants) and decentralised STPs will also be constructed. The current STPs will also be upgraded and with this the capacity of Delhi to treat sewage will be increased to 890 MGD. In 2015, this capacity was only 370 MGD.”

He also said that the Muncipal Corporation of Delhi is being given an extra loan of ₹850 crore to aid in the clearing the city’s three landfills that have become garbage mountains over the years.

On subsidies and the city’s fiscal health, Kejriwal stressed that Delhi was a surplus state despite several schemes aimed at giving free utilities to people.

“All surveys show that Delhi has lowest inflation in the country. It is because Delhi government provides many free schemes like free electricity, bus rides, education, health; but despite that we have a surplus economy. Other governments do not provide so much, but still run in losses. All free schemes have been continued in this Budget so that people continue to get relief from inflation,” Kejriwal said.

The CM also said the Delhi government will continue its crackdown on corruption through faceless services and doorstep delivery of services, which eliminate intermediaries in government services delivery. “The faceless services will be expanded to include other departments,” he said.

The Opposition, however, described the Budget as “disappointing”, said it expected much more.

“The government has shifted its focus from health and education because it failed to fulfil the promises announced in previous Budgets,” Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana said.

“The allocations of health, transport, and social welfare sectors have also been reduced. It means that the government is not serious about the programmes under these sectors. The focus on infrastructure has been made to steal credit from central government which is doing a lot of infrastructure augmentation and enhancement works in Delhi,” Khurana added.