The Delhi government will revive the Trans Yamuna Development Board and undertake a comprehensive reform of all mandis across the city, chief minister Rekha Gupta announced in the Assembly on Thursday. The declaration came as the House passed the ₹1 lakh crore state budget for 2025-26 through a voice vote.
Gupta also said that Delhi will begin celebrating state days to honour its diverse residents, starting with Odisha’s state day on April 1. “People from different states live in Delhi, and they are an integral part of the city. The Delhi government will celebrate all state days, beginning with Odisha’s, which will be marked with a grand ceremony,” she said.
The Delhi government constituted the Trans Yamuna Area Development Board in March 1994 for the planned growth of the Trans Yamuna Area. However, the board has not been reconstituted since 2015 and the funds allotted to it have remained unspent. Meanwhile, the decision to reform mandis, which are regulated markets for selling agricultural produce, comes amid traders’ demands for better infrastructure and civic amenities in the mandis which witness huge footfall every day.
Dismissing claims by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs that the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government had cut funds for education, health, and other sectors, Gupta said, “We did not cut the budget under any head. The budget is ₹1 lakh crore, and we have allocated enough funds for all development work… I will not let there be a shortage of funds in development works,” said Gupta.
The 2025-26 budget marks a 44% increase from the one presented in 2024-25, largely driven by central funding to improve infrastructure, sanitation, health care, and public transport.
A key promise is the BJP’s ₹2,500 monthly allowance for women.
Criticising the scepticism about the scheme in recent remarks by senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, Gupta said, “The disruptive forces will keep questioning when we will provide ₹2,500… We will do it in a planned manner. Unlike the AAP, we will not start a scheme and then shut it down.”
Leader of Opposition and former Delhi CM Atishi called the BJP’s promise a “jumla,” comparing it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier claim that ₹15 lakh would be deposited in every citizen’s bank account.
“First, Modi ji promised ₹15 lakh, then ₹2,500 per month for women. Now, BJP is making empty promises without even specifying where the money will come from,” she said.
Atishi further alleged that the budget figures were inflated and accused the government of hiding the true financial picture by not presenting the Economic Survey before the budget. “Despite this bloated budget, allocations for hospitals have been cut, and incentives for sportspersons reduced. The actual provisions amount to only ₹78,000 crore, not ₹1 lakh crore. Had the Economic Survey been presented, it would have exposed these misleading numbers,” she alleged.
AAP MLA Gopal Rai echoed these concerns, calling it “a budget without a foundation.” He accused the BJP of repeating past mistakes that had kept it out of power in Delhi for 27 years. “BJP lost Delhi and remained out of government for 27 years. Don’t you think it’s important to reflect on why that happened? What mistakes were made? Unfortunately, the same mistakes are being repeated,” Rai said, adding that the government must build upon the AAP’s “achievements” in tackling pollution.
Gupta dismissed the Opposition’s objections, saying, “The Opposition is rattled because of the budget’s size. Instead of nitpicking, they should be happy that we will have ₹1 lakh crore for Delhi’s development. Maybe we will even achieve this without central government aid,” she said, adding that financial mismanagement under the AAP had led to major revenue leakages her administration was now fixing.
Minister Ashish Sood defended the budget, arguing that there was no constitutional obligation to present the Economic Survey and that the government had made realistic allocations. “This budget is not about making Delhi a Paris or London. It is about ensuring dignity, health, and happiness for its residents. It focuses on clean water, smooth roads, and effective governance,” he said.
Sood emphasised that the budget aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” and was designed to address Delhi’s most pressing issues. “Despite financial constraints, we have increased allocations by 31% and planned development in coordination with the central government. This budget is about improving the quality of life for all citizens,” he said.
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