New Delhi [India]: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Delhi government is set to present the Budget 2025-26 today, marking its first budget in 26 years in the national capital.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who also serves as the Finance Minister, will present the budget in the Vidhan Sabha. Before the budget presentation, she is scheduled to visit the Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place, followed by a Cabinet meeting at the Delhi Secretariat. Unlike the previous government, which held Cabinet meetings at the Assembly, these meetings will now take place at the Secretariat.
This Budget Session is particularly significant as it follows the 2025 Delhi Legislative Assembly election, in which the BJP returned to power after 27 years.
CAG Report on Delhi Transport Corporation
On Monday, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta tabled a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) in the Assembly. The report highlighted operational inefficiencies and financial losses under the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, leading to sharp criticism from BJP leaders.
The report assessed key aspects of DTC’s operations and finances, pointing out inefficiencies in fleet management, revenue generation, and policy adherence.
BJP Slams AAP Over DTC Mismanagement
Following the report’s release, BJP MLA Harish Khurana accused the previous AAP government of mismanaging Delhi’s public transport system. He pointed out that while AAP had promised 11,000 new buses in 2013-15, the number of DTC buses actually declined from 4,344 in 2015 to 3,937.
Khurana further alleged that:
- Under former CM Madan Lal Khurana, DTC was profitable, but during AAP’s tenure, losses surged to ₹8,498.33 crore, increasing by ₹5,000 crore.
- DTC’s operating income dropped from ₹914 crore to ₹558 crore during AAP’s rule.
- The AAP government allotted 3.18 lakh square meters of DTC land to private cluster buses without collecting ₹225 crore in rent.
- Despite having ₹223 crore in 2022, AAP failed to procure new buses for the Delhi Transport Department.
Khurana credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for intervening and providing electric buses to Delhi. He pointed out that 1,770 CNG buses had exceeded their operational life but were not replaced under the AAP government.
Budget Session and Legislative Discussions
The Delhi Legislative Assembly convened for its Budget Session on Monday, with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta preparing the ceremonial ‘Kheer’ ahead of the proceedings.
This session is a crucial period in the legislative calendar, where key financial and policy decisions will be discussed. The session is expected to run from March 24 to March 28, 2025, with the possibility of an extension if required.