New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) The Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Friday passed the overall budget of Rs 17,583 crore for 2026-27, with sanitation receiving the highest allocation of Rs 4,797.78 crore.
Leader of the House Pravesh Wahi presented key budget details featuring a host of new initiatives ranging from property tax relief in rural areas to the regularisation of daily wage employees and expanded healthcare facilities.
The corporation said the allocation reflects its continued focus on sanitation and city-wide waste management.
With sanitation and environmental management as top priorities, Wahi announced that Bhalswa and Okhla landfill sites will be cleared by the end of 2026, and the Ghazipur landfill by the end of 2027.
According to Section 109 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, the corporation needs to approve the taxes, levies and cesses for the next financial year before February 15.
Wahi announced that general administration has been allotted Rs 3,548.63 crore, while education received Rs 3264.84 crore. The engineering department has been allocated Rs 1,884.43 crore, marking the fourth-largest allocation.
The horticulture department has been allocated Rs 414.16 crore, and the veterinary department has been allocated approximately Rs 137 crore.
According to the budget summary presented during the House session, the approved income for 2026-27 stands at Rs 17,184 crore, while the approved expenditure is pegged higher at Rs 17,583 crore. Wahi announced that in a move directly benefiting rural residents, the MCD has announced a full property tax exemption for owners of ancestral homes with an area smaller than 500 sq metres in all 49 fully rural villages. Similarly, native residents in urbanised villages with homes within the 200 sq metre area threshold will also receive property tax exemptions.
Addressing the concerns of municipal workers, Wahi said they have ensured that all multi-tasking staff (MTS) working with the MCD will receive the benefit of equal pay.
“In a significant policy shift, as many as 375 ‘Beldars’ employed between 2006 and 2012 across engineering, health, AYUSH and other departments will be regularised from a future date,” Wahi said in his speech.
Further, he said the corporation plans to add 70 mechanical road-sweeping machines to its fleet. Waste management is set to get a boost with the arrival of 1,000 litter picker machines, with four such machines to be deployed per ward, Wahi added.
He also announced that the civic body has allocated significant funds for education infrastructure. For the repair of dilapidated schools, Rs 22 crore have been set aside, while approximately Rs 18 crore have been allocated for minor repairs in other schools. An additional Rs 10 crore has been earmarked for the repair of school facilities in the coming year.
The leader of the house announced that a new scheme targeting women and disabled persons has been introduced. Under this initiative, 15 widows, single mothers and disabled persons in each ward will receive financial assistance of Rs 21,000 for their daughters’ weddings. Additionally, economically disadvantaged women in each ward will be provided with 10 sewing machines, and disabled individuals will receive 10 bicycles per ward.
Further, Wahi announced that resident welfare associations (RWAs) also stand to benefit, with financial assistance of Rs 25,000 each being provided to 20 RWAs from councillors’ funds in every ward for repair and maintenance work.
In a collaborative move, Wahi announced that the MCD will dedicate 250 new Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to the public in partnership with the Delhi government. For its own staff, the corporation has implemented a cashless hospital treatment scheme, allowing all officers and employees to receive free treatment at all empanelled hospitals. Councillors will also be provided medical facilities at CGHS rates, Wahi announced.
In a bid to provide jobs, the MCD will allocate new parking spaces — with a capacity of 100 vehicles — to unemployed graduates. These spaces will be allocated via a lottery system, Wahi said.
Other key announcements include a 15 per cent property tax rebate for all group housing societies for timely payments, an increase in the per-meeting allowance for councillors from Rs 300 to Rs 3,000, and the provision of a crèche facility at MCD headquarters for the young children of employees and councillors.
A gym facility will also be provided for councillors, officers and employees, Wahi announced.
The figures were finalised after deliberations between the Commissioner’s initial proposal, revisions by the Standing Committee, and the final approval by the Corporation. PTI VBH PRK PRK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.