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New Delhi: On Monday, The Delhi government has announced ‘Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana’ under which Rs 1,000 will be given monthly to all women aged above 18 from the fiscal year 2024-25 as Delhi Finance Minister Atishi presented a Rs 76,000 crore budget today.
Atishi announced the scheme in her maiden budget speech. This is the 10th budget of the Arvind Kejriwal-led government. Making the announcement in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi said, ‘Earlier, residents of Delhi, who had limited resources, used to send their sons to private schools and daughters to government schools, which were in dilapidated condition.
She aaded,”Once 95 per cent of girl students told me that their brothers study in private schools. But now, girls students from government schools in Delhi are clearing IIT, NEET exams.” Atishi presented the budget for the financial year 2024-25 in the Delhi Assembly on Monday with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore, and said the government is trying to realise the dream of ‘Ram Rajya’.
The Delhi Finance Minister said,”Till now it was that the child of a rich family would be rich and the child of a poor family would be poor but this was completely contrary to the concept of ‘Ram Rajya’.” She added,”The Kejriwal government has built 22,711 new classrooms since 2015. Education has been the priority of our government… This year, have made a provision of Rs 16,396 crore for education.”
Of the total budget, Rs 8,685 has been allocated for Delhi’s health sector, under which government hospitals will get Rs 6,215 for core infrastructure and facilities, Mohalla clinics will be allocated Rs 212 crore; Rs 658 crore given, essential medicines provided in government hospitals; and Rs 400 crore for expansion and construction of new hospitals.
Announcing the budget for the health sector, Atishi compared jailed former health minister Satyendra Jain to Lord Hanuman for transforming the national capital’s healthcare system. He said, “Just as Lord Hanuman lifted a mountain to bring Sanjeevani herb to save the injured Lord Lakshman, Satyendra Jain revived Delhi’s healthcare system.”
The Delhi Finance Minister also said that the population of the national capital contributes only 1.55 per cent to the total population of the country. Atishi said, “Yet, its contribution to the national GDP is more than double. In 2023-24, at constant prices, Delhi’s contribution to the national GDP is going to be 3.89 per cent.”
