Delhi Finance Minister Atishi Marlena presented the budget for the upcoming 2024-25 fiscal year in the Assembly on Monday. The Delhi government tabled the budget on the theme of Ram Rajya. "Delhi govt trying to realise dream of Ram Rajya," the finance minister said.
Atishi announced a Budget of Rs 76,000 crore for the upcoming fiscal year in the state assembly.
Prior to arriving for the Budget presentation, the Union Territory’s Finance Minister also visited senior AAP leader and former deputy CM Manish Sisodia’s mother and wife, seeking their blessings.
Notably, Sisodia was placed under arrest earlier last year in February by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in relation to the excise policy case. In his absence, the previous Budget was presented by Kailash Gahlot.
The Budget session of the Delhi Assembly started on February 15 and was extended till March 8, 2024. This marked possibly the longest assembly session for the national capital under the current AAP government. In the 2023 Budget, Gehlot tabled a budget based on the ‘Clean, beautiful, and modern’ Delhi theme. The 2023 Delhi Budget included funds worth Rs 21,000 crore set aside for the city’s infrastructure.
Recent media reports stated that the Budget will be based on the concept of Ram Rajya. Citing sources in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, media agency PTI reported recently that the government is looking to provide something for every section of society in the budget. The report quoted a source and said, “This time, the budget is likely to be based on the concept of Ram Rajya. The budget is likely to have provisions for every section of the society, in accordance with the principles of Ram Rajya, in the election year.”
Notably, this marks the 10th budget presentation of the AAP government. The FM Atishi tabled her first budget after becoming a part of the government in March last year.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has on multiple occasions spoken about the concept of Ram Rajya. In his speech on Republic Day this year, he noted that his government has adopted the ten principles of Ram Rajya and has been providing education, healthcare services, boosting women’s safety and distributing free electricity and water to the public.