Arvind Kejriwal government's budget likely on March 4. Here is what to expect

livemint.com:

Atishi is also likely to present the budget for the 2024-25 financial year next week on March 4, according to sources. This will be Atishi’s first budget as Delhi’s Finance Minister after she was inducted into Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s cabinet in March last year. The budget session of the Delhi assembly began on February 15 and was expected to run until February 21.

The session was, however, extended to the first week of March, with Atishi citing a delay in budget finalisation. The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi is expected to make announcements on the ₹80,000+ crore budget for residents, as 2024 is an election year. Sources said the focus will be on education, health, power and roads, among other sectors.

Also Read: Delhi’s per capita income rises over 14% to more than ₹4.4 lakh, ‘highest in India’: Report Last year, the budget was presented by Kailash Gahlot, a minister in Kejriwal’s cabinet, following the arrest of former Finance Minister, Manish Sisodia, in the excise policy case. Based on the theme of ‘Clean, Beautiful, and Modern’ Delhi, the budget amounted to ₹78,800 crore with a provision of ₹21,000 crore for Delhi’s infrastructure. Arvind Kejriwal’s government’s key focus area has been healthcare.

Last year, the government allocated ₹9,742 crore for this sector. This time, the budget is expected to see an increased outlay on infrastructure building of hospitals and for under-construction projects. In 2023-24, the government announced the remodelling of 15 hospitals and increased the bed count to 30,000 from an existing 14,000.