"It is a 'Hawa-Hawai' budget": AAP's Atishi criticises Delhi Budget

New Delhi [India], March 25 (ANI): Atishi, the leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Legislative Assembly, on Tuesday strongly criticized the Delhi Budget 2025-26 presented by the BJP-led government, calling it a "Hawa-Hawai" budget.
Speaking to the media, Atishi argued that the budget has no basis, as the Delhi government won't be able to generate the proposed Rs 1 lakh crore revenue.
"If today's budget, which the BJP has tabled in the House, is described in one word, then it is a 'Hawa-Hawai' budget. This Rs 1 lakh crore budget has no basis. The Delhi government is not going to get Rs 1 lakh crore revenue from anywhere," said Atishi.
Atishi questioned the absence of the Economic Survey, which she believes would have provided a clear picture of the city's financial situation. She claimed that the BJP's intention is to destroy the system of government schools in Delhi, as the education budget has been reduced to 19%, the lowest in 10 years.
"Why was the Economic Survey not tabled in the House? They have presented a baseless budget in the House. If you look at the percentage allocation, for the first time in 10 years, the education budget has gone below 20%. For the first time, only 19% budget has been allocated to education. This shows that the intention of the BJP is to destroy the system of government schools in Delhi," said Atishi.
Furthermore, Atishi pointed out that the health budget has been decreased to 13%, which may lead to an end to free treatment in government hospitals and mohalla clinics. She also criticized the reduction of the MCD budget by Rs 1500 crores, which she believes will harm the sanitation system in Delhi.
"For the first time, the budget for health has come down to just 13%. This shows that the BJP intends to end the free treatment that every person in Delhi is getting in government hospitals and mohalla clinics. And thirdly, the MCD budget has been reduced by Rs 1500 crores to destroy the sanitation system in Delhi...," she added.
In contrast, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta presented the budget as a "historic" step towards transforming Delhi into an investment and innovation-friendly city.
With a total allocation of Rs 1 lakh crore, this budget is expected to drive growth, development, and improvement in the quality of life for Delhi's residents.
The budget has seen a significant rise of 31.58% from the previous year, with a total allocation of Rs1 lakh crore for various sectors, including education, transport, and urban development.
"In 2024-2025, the budget was Rs 76,000 crore, and this time, the budget is Rs 1 lakh crore, which is an increase of 31.58 per cent. We can call it the biggest increase in any budget in the country," said Gupta. (ANI)