Delhi Budget 2025-26: Rs 9,000 Crore for Clean Water and Sanitation; Rs 500 Crore for Yamuna Cleaning

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday tabled the 'historic' budget for Delhi after 26 years. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta unveiled the Rs 1 lakh crore Budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 on Tuesday, marking a significant step towards the development of the national capital.

Among the standout allocations, Rs 9,000 crore has been earmarked for clean water and sanitation, while Rs 500 crore is dedicated to cleaning the Yamuna River—a promise that resonated deeply during the recent Delhi Assembly elections.

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Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta unveiled the Rs 1 lakh crore Budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 on Tuesday, calling it a "historic" step toward reversing a decade of developmental stagnation in the national capital. Among the standout allocations, Rs 9,000 crore has been earmarked for clean water and sanitation, while Rs 500 crore is dedicated to cleaning the Yamuna River—a promise that resonated deeply during the recent Delhi Assembly elections.

This Budget, which marks a 31.5 per cent increase from the previous year, reflects the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government’s ambition towards 'Viksit Bharat.' The Yamuna River, long a symbol of both cultural heritage and environmental neglect, emerged as a pivotal issue in the elections, with voters demanding action to address its worsening pollution.

During the campaign, the BJP went strong over public frustration for the Yamuna’s dire state, accusing the AAP of failing to deliver on its promises to clean the river.

The Budget allocates Rs 500 crore specifically for Yamuna cleaning, with plans to decentralise 40 sewage treatment plants (STPs) to ensure only treated water enters the river. An additional Rs 500 crore will go toward repairing and upgrading STPs, and Rs 250 crore will be set aside for replacing ageing sewer lines. These measures aim to tackle the river’s pollution at its source, a move Gupta described as a “new dawn” for Delhi’s environment.

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Clean Water and Sanitation in Delhi

Beyond the Yamuna, the Budget’s Rs 9,000 crore allocation for clean water and sanitation underscores the government’s focus on improving the quality of water and life in the national capital.

Delhi has grappled with water shortages and poor sanitation infrastructure for years, issues that were hotly debated during the elections. The funds will support projects to ensure potable water reaches every household and modernize sanitation facilities, particularly in underserved areas.

"This is not an ordinary Budget, this Budget is the first step to develop Delhi which was ruined in the past 10 years. Delhi went down in every aspect of development in the past decade. The previous government ruined the economic health of the national capital like termites," Gupta said.