Delhi's Civic Budget Highlights Sanitation, No New Taxes

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi presented a Rs 16,530.50 crore budget, focusing heavily on sanitation with a Rs 4,795.28 crore allocation. No new taxes were proposed, with strength given to existing tax collection. Education and health received significant allocations, while multi-level parking and waste management projects were outlined.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) unveiled a budget of Rs 16,530.50 crore for the 2026-27 fiscal year, emphasizing sanitation, which received the largest allocation of Rs 4,795.28 crore. Commissioner Ashwani Kumar specified that new taxes won't be introduced, focusing instead on enhancing the collection of existing levies.

Education received a robust allocation of Rs 2,520.34 crore, while public health and medical aid garnered Rs 1,905.60 crore. Priorities also include the establishment of 20 multi-level parking facilities citywide. The fiscal plan, announced during a Standing Committee meeting, aims to maintain cleanliness without increasing taxation levels.

The civic budget also noted infrastructural advancements like the inauguration of a 200 TPD biogas plant and other waste-to-energy projects. Despite these highlights, Indraprastha Vikas Party's Mukesh Goyal criticized the budget as incomplete, citing a lack of development plans for municipal wards suffering from poor sanitation and infrastructure.

(With inputs from agencies.)