Key Points
BJP's first Delhi budget in 27 years aligns with election promises
Budget session started with a traditional kheer ceremony
CAG report reveals DTC's Rs 35,000 crore losses
Opposition demands all CAG reports for transparency
The much-awaited budget for the financial year 2025-26 is expected to reflect the BJP’s election manifesto and its promises made to the people of Delhi during the recent elections.
The five-day budget session, which commenced on March 24, began with a kheer ceremony at 11 a.m. on Monday.
Chief Minister Gupta said, "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP is presenting the Delhi Budget after 27 years. Just as Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile, we are returning after 27 years."
On the first day of the session, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also tabled a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report in the House, highlighting the dismal financial condition of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).
The CAG report, covering the period up to 2024, revealed that DTC’s losses have ballooned by Rs 35,000 crore over the past six years.
The report pointed out that DTC’s losses increased from Rs 25,300 crore in 2015-16 to a staggering Rs 60,750 crore in 2021-22. This alarming rise in losses has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition, with members staging a walkout, demanding that all 14 CAG reports be presented together in the House.
The ongoing discussions on the CAG reports will continue in the following days, shedding light on the financial health of public sector entities in the city.
This budget session will be the second for the newly-formed BJP government, with the first session held between February 24 and March 3 earlier this year.
