New Delhi, March 24 The Delhi Budget 2026-27, presented in the Assembly on Tuesday, drew reactions as expected, with ruling BJP ministers praising it as a "historic" and growth-oriented budget, while the opposition alleged that it fell short on key challenges such as environmental and public service delivery.
Praising the budget presented by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Minister for Environment, Forest and Wild Life Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the total outlay of Rs 1 lakh crore reflected strong financial management and would further accelerate Delhi's development.
Highlighting the environmental commitment, the minister said, "This is a Green Budget. Whether it is e-waste, road transport, infrastructure, or metro projects, every effort has been made to integrate environmental considerations, including plantation, into each initiative."
The minister said the budget for the environment and forest sector had been increased from Rs 505 crore to Rs 822 crore, and highlighted provisions of Rs 300 crore for pollution-control and emergency measures, including mechanised cleaning, anti-smog guns and water sprinkling.
On women's empowerment, he said the government would issue 1,000 new e-auto permits exclusively for women and distribute 2.5 crore sanitary pads through vending machines in schools and colleges, emphasizing that these measures would enhance women's participation in public life and the workforce.
He also highlighted measures in education and healthcare, including bicycle distribution to girl students, laptops for meritorious students and real-time ICU bed monitoring in hospitals.
Delhi Health and Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh added that the 2026-27 Budget prioritises healthcare and mobility, with allocations of Rs 13,034 crore for the health department and Rs 12,613 crore for transport. He said the budget focuses on strengthening public health infrastructure, expanding access to medical services and building a greener, more efficient transport system in the national capital.
Singh said key health measures include funding for the completion of long-pending hospital and ICU projects, procurement of medicines and equipment, and expansion of primary healthcare through new Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. On transport, he highlighted the push for electric mobility through EV Policy 2.0, expansion of the electric bus fleet, and allocations for Metro Phase-IV and Phase-V, as well as Namo Bharat corridors to improve connectivity and reduce congestion.
Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said that the Budget would help position the national capital as a global cultural and tourism hub while creating new employment opportunities. He said the tourism allocation had been raised from Rs 121 crore last year to Rs 412 crore this year, while Rs 173 crore had been earmarked for art, culture and language.
The AAP, meanwhile, staged a protest outside the Delhi Assembly over the Palam fire tragedy, alleging that the BJP government had failed to adequately equip the fire department despite presenting a Rs 1 lakh crore budget. Led by Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj, party leaders, MLAs and workers raised slogans and held banners targeting the government, while accusing it of negligence in the incident that claimed nine lives.
AAP leaders alleged that fire brigade ladders did not function during the blaze and claimed locals were prevented from attempting a rescue.
Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Atishi demanded the resignation of Fire Services Minister Ashish Sood, while Bharadwaj accused the government of trying to shift the blame onto the victims' families. The party also criticised the suspension of opposition MLAs from the Assembly, alleging that the BJP was trying to suppress questions over the incident.
Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav described the 2026-27 Budget as a "triple deception" by the BJP government, alleging that it lacked a clear roadmap on key issues such as Yamuna cleaning, garbage disposal and water supply. He questioned the government’s “green budget” claim, saying the 21 per cent allocation for environmental initiatives was misleading, and accused the administration of making big promises while delivering little.