Former Delhi CM Atishi questions BJP government over Budget transparency

Atishi questions BJP government's funding sources for Delhi State Budget, criticizes absence of Economic Survey presentation.

Former Delhi Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Atishi on Friday (March 28, 2025) attacked the BJP government over the source of funds for the State Budget.

Speaking at a press conference, Ms. Atishi said, "It is unclear where the money shown in the Budget is coming from." She also criticised the government for not presenting the Economic Survey during the Budget session, calling it a deviation from long-standing practice.

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"The Economic Survey is a technical document that provides financial clarity. It has been presented in the Assembly for decades, but this time, the BJP government did not table it," she said. Ms. Atishi said that if the survey had been presented, it would have clarified whether the government's claim of a 20% Budget increase from the previous year was accurate.

She also asserted that during Arvind Kejriwal's tenure, the government never faced financial losses. "Now, with the BJP in power, they are claiming the government is in deficit," she added. The ruling party is yet to respond to Ms. Atishi's claims.

On Tuesday (March 25, 2025), Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented the Budget for the financial year 2025-26 with an outlay of ₹1 lakh crore, marking a 31.5% increase from the previous year.