Delhi's Rs 76,000 cr budget: Rs 1,000 to women, free electricity continues

New Delhi, March 4 (IANS) Delhi Finance Minister Atishi on Monday unveiled the AAP government's Budget of Rs 76,000 crore for the fiscal year 2024-25 in the Assembly.

In her maiden budget speech, Minister Atishi emphasised her government's commitment to prioritise the welfare of the poor and focus on providing free and high-quality healthcare, education, and essential services.

One of the key highlights of the budget is the allocation of Rs 15 crore towards the implementation of the 'Business Blaster' programme, which currently operates exclusively in schools, and is aimed at providing seed money for new startups.

Furthermore, Atishi announced a substantial allocation of Rs 2,000 crore for the 'Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana' to empower and support women, under which every woman above 18 years of age will receive Rs 1,000 per month.

Addressing the issue of electricity, the Finance Minister noted that despite providing 24 hours of free electricity, all electricity companies in Delhi remain profitable. A budget of Rs 3,353 crore has been proposed for the power sector for the upcoming fiscal year.

Ensuring continued access to essential resources, Atishi affirmed that all Delhiites will continue to receive 20,000 litres of free water, benefiting 17 lakh consumers. Moreover, significant progress has been made in connecting 1031 unauthorised colonies to the sewer system, with a budget of Rs 7,195 crore proposed for the Delhi Jal Board.

Highlighting the strides made in the education sector, the Delhi Finance Minister underscored the commitment to improving infrastructure.

"Since Independence until 2014-15, 24,000 classrooms were available in the government schools, but within nine years, Arvind Kejriwal's government has constructed 11,000 new classrooms," she said.

The budget allocated 21.57 per cent of total expenditure to education, reflecting the government's dedication to enhancing educational opportunities for all.

She further said that in the fiscal year 2014-15, the budget for the justice system was Rs 760 crore, and in 2024-25, it has increased by nearly four times, reaching Rs 3,098 crore.

“Under this there will be construction of four new court complexes, whose total cost is Rs 1,108 crore and Rs 100 crore earmarked for a new scheme of hybrid hearings in district courts,” said Minister Atishi.