Delhi 2023-24 Budget live updates | AAP govt. focuses on upgrading roads, clearing landfills for a ‘clean, beautiful, and modern’ Delhi

In his Budget speech, Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot announced setting up of 900 Electric Vehicle charging points, and lowering the charging tariff to ₹3/unit. He also announced 103 new battery swapping points.

Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot concludes his speech. His 2023-24 budget speech was 2.27 hours long.

Our target is to meet 25% of Delhi’s annual electricity demand from solar power by 2025, Mr. Gahlot said announcing Rs. 3,348 crore for power sector

“To achieve this, 6,000 MW solar infrastructure to be installed by 2025,” he added.

About 70,000 senior citizens have benefitted from free pilgrimage scheme of the Delhi government, Mr. Gahlot said informing that this scheme will continue in the coming financial year.

Delhi Finance Minister allocates Rs. 4,744 crore for Social Welfare Department, Women and Child Development Department, SC/ST/OBC Welfare Department

Rs. 9,333 crore have been allocated for the Transport sector in the financial year 2023-24.

Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot said that so far 1.04 lakh electric vehicles have been registered in the city. He said that in December, 2022, out of the all the vehicles registered, the share if EVs was 16.7%.

“We have given subsidy worth Rs. 145 crore on EV purchases so far.”

Moving on to the Transport aspect of the Budget, Mr. Gahlot informs the Delhi Assembly that more than 100 crore “Pink Ticket” were issued till February 2023.

Pink tickets allow women to travel for free in government-run buses in Delhi.

Mr. Gahlot says that today we have 34 women driving the DTC buses in Delhi, which is highest for any transport corporation in the country.

Delhi Finance Minister proposes allocation of Rs. 9,742 crore for Health sector.

We started Mahila Mohalla Clinics last year, Mr. Gahlot says noting that now there are four such clinics in Delhi “In the next financial year we have created a plan to open 100 Mahila Mohalla Clinics,” he announces in his Budget speech.

Nine new hospitals are being constructed and four of them will be operational this year. The number of beds will increase to 30,000 from 14,000, Mr. Gahlot says.

Due to the efforts of Delhiites, PM10 and PM2.5 (major pollutants) have reduced by more than 30% in the last 8 years, Mr. Gahlot says adding that this shows that air pollution has decreased by 30% in Delhi. Number of “severe” air quality has come down from 26 days in 2016 to 6 days in 2022, he adds.

Mr. Gahlot announces that 11 mobile vans across Delhi will work on taking real-time source apportionment (of air pollution) to next stage. He adds that the government will plant 52 lakh saplings in one year, and will work on city forests.

Every year, the Delhi government has always allotted highest budget for education, Mr. Gahlot says in his Budget speech, proposing an allocation of Rs. 16,575 crore for education in financial year 2023-24.

“We will provide new tablets to teacher, principals, vice principals of all government schools. Earlier tablets were given in 2018, which might have gone old now,” Mr. Gahlot tells the Delhi Assembly.

At least 20 new computers will also be given to each government school this year, he adds.

Working with the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) we will put an end to the three landfills in two years, Finance Minister Gahlot says in his Budget speech. We will clean the Okhla landfill by December 2023, Bhalswa landfill by March 2024, and Ghazipur landfill by December 2024, he adds. “To help make Delhi a clean, beautiful and modern city, a loan of Rs. 850 crore is proposed to be given to the MCD in the financial year 2023-24.”

Delhi Finance Minister Gahlot announces Sarai Kale Khan and Anand Vihar ISBTs to be redeveloped under PPP model

“With World class facilities at these multimodal intersection points being at par with airports, these can very well be called as “Bus Ports””, he says.

He also announces plan to develop ISBT at Dwarka as per international standards, and the development of 2 modern Bus Terminals at Nehru Place and Najafgarh.

First multilevel bus depots will come up at Hari Nagar and Vasant Vihar.

Mr. Gahlot announces that`nine Bus depots will be completed next year in Delhi.

For the first time in Delhi, “Mohalla Buses” will be plying in Delhi to connect remote pockets to the transport system, Mr. Gahlot says in his Budget speech.

The coming year 100 buses will be started, he says adding that in three years, it will increase to 2,180 buses.

I propose an allocation of Rs. 3,500 crores for Delhi government bus services and projects towards the next financial year, Mr. Gahlot says.

Delhi Finance Minister Gahlot says that by 2025, Delhi will have 10,480 buses with 80% of the fleet, that is 8,280 buses, being electric buses which will help in saving carbon dioxide emissions of approx 4.6 lakh tonnes annually.

On the construction of three unique double-decker flyovers, Mr. Gahlot says: The flyovers will be constructed from Bhajanpura to Yamuna Vihar, Azadpur to Rani Jhansi intersections, and from Saket to Pul Prahaladpur. Vehicles will run on the lower deck, while the Metro rail will run on the upper deck. With these three unique projects, the government will be saving Rs. 121 crore of taxpayers’ money.

Delhi Finance Minister proposes an allocation of Rs. 3,126 crore for projects of roads and bridges. This will include the following initiatives he highlights in his speech:

This entire initiative of upgrading and beautifying Delhi roads is being planned with a 10-year period and with an anticipated expenditure of Rs. 19,466 crore. For the coming financial year, Rs 2,034 crore is proposed for this scheme.

For financial year 2023-24, I propose Rs. 722 crore for new flyovers, Mr. Gahlot says.

I propose Rs. 320 crore for the three double-decker flyover projects in financial year 2023-24, he adds.

Local bodies will be given financial assistance of Rs 8,241 crore in financial year 2023-24, says Finance Minister Gahlot while presenting the Budget. Mr. Gahlot said that out of the total amount, Rs 2,659 crore will be provided for various schemes and projects, Rs 2,492 crore as basic tax assignment, and Rs 2,240 crore as stamp, registration, and one time parking charges. He said that Rs 850 crore will be provided in loans.

Delhi Finance Minister Gahlot lays out a comprehensive plan comprising nine different schemes to make Delhi a clean, beautiful, and modern city:

1. Upgradation and beautification of the entire 1400 km PWD road network.
2. Construction of 26 new flyover, underpass, bridge projects in different parts of Delhi
3. Construction of 3 unique double-decker flyovers in collaboration with DMRC at Bhajanpura to Yamuna Vihar, Azadpur to Rani Jhansi intersections, and from Saket to Pul Prahladpur
4. Induction of 1600 new zero-emission electric buses, including 100 feeder buses.
5. Electrification of 57 existing bus depots of Delhi.
6. Construction of 3 world-class Inter-State Bus Terminals (ISBTs), 2 multi-level bus depots, 2 modern bus terminals, and 9 new bus depots in Delhi.
7. Construction of 1400 new and modern bus queue shelters in Delhi
8. Six-point action plan for a Clean Yamuna.
9. Clearing all three garbage mountains of Delhi

Will connect all colonies to sewer network. Increase capacities of sewage treatment plants to clean Yamuna, Delhi Minister Gahlot says while presenting the Budget.- PTI

Delhi Finance Minister Gahlot alleges that the Centre has been giving Delhi a “ step-motherly treatment”

From Central pool of taxes Delhi has been getting the same amount for the last eight years, he says adding that the city gets only Rs. 325 crore a year, when it should be getting Rs. 6,500 crore. This Rs. 325 crore has also been reduced to zero by the central government for the next year, Mr. Gahlot says.

Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot presents a Budget of Rs. 78,800 crore

I’m proud to say that in the past eight years, the PWD has done the construction of 28 new flyovers, elevated roads, bridges which has made commuting easy in Delhi, Mr. Gahlot says.

Though it is the responsibility of the MCD, we will work with them to clear the three landfills, he adds.