Will Delhiites continue to get free electricity? CM Rekha Gupta says…,

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta presented an annual budget of ₹103,700 crore (Delhi Budget 2026-27) and announced free bicycles for girls studying in the 9th grade and free laptops for meritorious students in the 10th grade.

Delhi Budget 2026 LIVE Updates: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta presented Delhi’s budget of ₹103,700 crore on Tuesday. During the presentation, she made significant announcements in several areas, including electricity, water, roads, and health. Presenting the annual budget in the Delhi Assembly, the Chief Minister announced significant relief for the public. She clearly stated that the free electricity scheme will continue in the city. The government has allocated a budget of ₹3,942 crore for electricity supply.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced free bicycles for girls in the 9th grade and free laptops for meritorious students in the 10th grade. A provision of ₹800 crore has been made for the development of unauthorized colonies and ₹787 crore for the Delhi Rural Development Department. Furthermore, a substantial allocation of ₹9,000 crore has been made to the Delhi Jal Board. A budget of ₹12,645 crore has been allocated to strengthen health services.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who holds the additional charge of Finance Minister in the Delhi government, stated that Delhi’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is projected to reach approximately ₹13 lakh crore in the fiscal year 2025-26. She said that due to the central government’s policies and the Prime Minister’s leadership, Delhi has the opportunity to progress economically.

The Chief Minister stated that last year, the Delhi government presented a budget of ₹1 lakh crore, which included a 145% increase in capital expenditure. He added that this was possible only with the support of the central government. This year, the Delhi government has presented a budget of ₹1,03,700 crore, of which approximately ₹74,000 crore is expected to come in as tax revenue.

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In the budget, 70.3% of the total expenditure has been earmarked for revenue expenditure, while 29.7% will be spent on capital expenditure.

Presenting the annual budget (Delhi Budget 2026-27), the Chief Minister said, “Delhi has its own distinct identity and the city possesses the creative power to rise again and again after falling. Delhi has the blessings of Goddess Durga and, as the capital of the country, it has always maintained its dignity.”

The government says this budget is a major step towards making Delhi a modern, clean, and well-connected city, ensuring balanced development of both infrastructure and the environment. This will focus on pollution control, increasing green cover, and sustainable infrastructure.

10 focus areas decided

The government has identified 10 key focus areas for the budget, which aims to accelerate the overall development of the capital. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been allocated a budget of ₹11,666 crore to strengthen Delhi’s construction and urban infrastructure. Furthermore, special emphasis has been placed on improving roads and connectivity.

The government aims to ensure flawless connectivity in the capital. To this end, large budgets have been allocated to various departments:

PWD: Rs 5,921 crore
Urban Development (UD): Rs 8,787 crore
Trans-Yamuna area: Rs 300 crore in the first phase
Rs 210 crore for Barapullah project gap funding
Rs 454 crore for construction of roads on both sides of Najafgarh drain.
MLA development budget Rs 350 crore
Rs 3942 crore budget for uninterrupted power supply
Rs 800 crore for unauthorized colonies, roads to be made dust free

A provision of ₹800 crore has been made for the development of unauthorized colonies and ₹787 crore for the Delhi Rural Development Project. In addition, ₹960 crore has been earmarked for other development works.

The government has taken a major step to make the capital’s roads dust-free. This initiative will involve end-to-end carpeting of 750 kilometers of roads, costing ₹1,392 crore. Additionally, the MCD will receive an additional ₹1,000 crore for road development.

A budget of ₹160 crore has been set aside for the construction of roads in industrial areas. ₹25 crore has been allocated for foot overbridges to ensure pedestrian convenience and safety.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said, “The work of undergrounding power lines in the capital is progressing rapidly. It has already begun in the Chandni Chowk area. A special fund of ₹200 crore has been set aside for such projects. Furthermore, provisions have been made in the budget for the installation of new substations and transformers to ensure more secure and stable power supply.”

Rs 9000 crore for water board and Rs 12645 crores on health

Special emphasis has been placed on improving fire safety, given Delhi’s narrow streets. A total budget of ₹674 crore has been allocated to the fire department, ensuring rapid emergency response.

A substantial allocation of ₹9,000 crore has been made to the Delhi Jal Board. The government aims to provide clean tap water to every household. To this end, ₹475 crore has been allocated to expedite work on the Chandrawal Water Treatment Plant. A budget of ₹12,645 crore has been allocated to strengthen healthcare services. The government aims to complete the construction of LNJP and Harish Chandra Hospital this year.

A separate provision of ₹150 crore has been made to complete unfinished construction projects in hospitals and other health-related facilities. ₹787 crore will be spent to ensure the availability of medicines.

Direct target on the previous AAP government

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, while targeting previous governments, said that vote bank politics and narrow-mindedness had hampered development. She said, “Now, development is not limited to statistics, but is visible to the people in real terms.” She added that previously, the politics of “freebies” was driving investors and people away from Delhi, but now the situation is changing and economic activity has accelerated.

Opposition leader absent from the Assembly, Speaker Vijender Gupta enraged

The Delhi Assembly witnessed the absence of all opposition leaders during the Chief Minister’s budget speech. Speaker Vijender Gupta expressed strong displeasure over this. He said that the opposition’s distance from such an important topic as the budget not only violates the democratic process but also undermines the dignity of the House.

Speaker Vijender Gupta said that the budget is not just a government document, but a crucial issue concerning the future of nearly 20 million people in Delhi. Therefore, the opposition’s abstention from the proceedings is extremely unfortunate. He appealed to the opposition to come to the House and express their views and participate in the democratic process.

According to the Economic Survey presented in the Delhi Assembly on Monday, Delhi’s Gross Domestic Product (GSDP) is projected to reach approximately ₹13.27 lakh crore in the financial year 2025-26, representing a growth of 9.42 percent over the previous year. This figure indicates the capital’s rapid economic growth. Per capita income is also projected to rise to approximately ₹5.31 lakh, nearly two and a half times the national average. Although the growth rate has slowed somewhat in recent years, Delhi’s overall economic position remains strong.

Special schemes for women and daughters

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has already indicated that special schemes for women and daughters will be introduced in this year’s budget. She has clearly stated that emphasis will be placed on empowering women through schemes like “Lakhpati Bitiya” and “Saheli Pink Smart Card.” In particular, steps may be taken to further strengthen facilities like free bus travel.

Service sector dominates in Delhi

One thing that emerged clearly from this Economic Survey is the dominance of the service sector in Delhi’s economy. The service sector contributes 86.32 percent to the Gross State Value Added (GSVA). In comparison, the industry sector contributes 12.88 percent, and the agriculture sector contributes only 0.80 percent. This explains why the capital’s economic growth is primarily dependent on the service sector.

Presenting the Economic Survey in the Delhi Assembly, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated that the government’s goal is to make Delhi a world-class, inclusive, and livable city. To achieve this, emphasis is being placed on strengthening infrastructure and advancing public welfare schemes. In the last budget, out of a total allocation of ₹1 lakh crore, ₹59,300 crore was spent on various schemes and projects. The transport sector received the highest priority, accounting for approximately 20 percent of the budget. Furthermore, significant expenditures were also made on social security, water supply, education, and health sectors.

Inflation and employment are also being monitored

According to the Economic Survey, the impact of inflation has also been felt in Delhi. The Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers increased from 132.5 in 2024 to 139.4 in 2025, representing a 4.9 percent increase. Therefore, the budget is expected to include measures to address inflation and increase employment opportunities.

Following the strong data presented in the Economic Survey, all eyes are now on the budget presented today. It is expected that this budget will not only accelerate development but also provide relief and new facilities to the general public, especially women, students, and businesspeople.

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The Times Of Bengal