NEW DELHI: The third day of the Delhi Assembly’s budget session witnessed fiery exchanges between ruling and opposition MLAs over various issues, including the absence of the Economic Survey before the budget presentation. The session began with Question Hour, allowing MLAs from both sides to raise their concerns.
Leader of Opposition (LoP) Atishi questioned the government’s commitment to slum area development. She criticised the poor condition of public toilets in slums and JJ clusters, despite the government’s Rs 700 crore allocation for slum development in its maiden budget. Her remarks led to a sharp exchange with Education Minister Ashish Sood.
When Atishi’s name was called to ask her question, she was initially absent. Upon her return, she was allowed to speak, sparking a heated debate. Sood accused Atishi of trying to corner the government without being present on time. “When AAP was in power, DUSIB’s budget was passed at 11:40 pm on March 31, showing how serious you were about slum dwellers. You are uneasy because the new government has presented a budget with a larger outlay than yours in just 33 days. The people of Delhi have shown you the exit door,” Sood said.
Minister Parvesh Verma also criticised the previous government, claiming it was run by “one man” without any portfolio or accountability, as other leaders were in jail. Despite the heated exchanges, MLAs from both sides found common ground on certain issues. They agreed on the need for a salary revision for legislators and supported increasing the number of data entry staff in their offices.
The absence of the Economic Survey also drew criticism from the opposition, with Atishi alleging that the government was avoiding transparency by skipping the pre-budget document. However, ruling party members defended the decision, stating that the budget itself was comprehensive and transparent. CM Rekha Gupta, who also holds the finance portfolio, on Tuesday presented the city government’s 2025-26 budget with an outlay of Rs 1 lakh crore.
She had described the budget as “historic” and a step towards making Delhi self-reliant. “This budget marks the end of corruption and inefficiency,” Gupta had said in her 138-minute speech.