AAP calls budget a ‘paper exercise’, mayor says deliberations to be held on all aspects

New Delhi: Criticising the proposed budget for the financial year 2026-27 and questioning the outcomes of policies adopted in previous years, leader of the opposition Ankush Narang on Friday termed the BJP-led Municipal Corporation of Delhi's budget a "paper exercise".The AAP councillor claimed that despite budgetary provisions, the spending on scholarships in 2024-25 was zero. While MCD schools have 6.6 lakh students, only 4.3 lakh students had received subsidies for uniforms, stationeries and school bags through direct benefit transfer in 2025-26, he pointed out. "Nearly two and a half lakh children are still deprived. There is also a provision of Rs 100 crore for girls' scholarships, but not a single rupee was spent last year," he alleged.Raising concerns over parking policies, Narang said residents continued to suffer due to expensive parking charges and arbitrary collections. He cited the shuttle-type parking facility for 399 cars built at a cost of Rs 63.7 crore in Greater Kailash's M Block and the multi-level parking facility for 255 cars constructed at a cost of Rs 31.1 crore at the Punjabi Bagh cremation ground. "Despite these projects, traffic congestion and illegal parking on roads have not reduced," he added.Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh said the standing committee would hold detailed deliberations on all aspects of the budget. "The objective is to present a positive, balanced and growth-oriented budget with citizens' priorities at the centre, ensuring real improvements in infrastructure, sanitation, health, education and civic facilities," Singh said. He added that the BJP-led MCD was working to correct the "financial chaos and administrative failures" inherited from the previous regime.Highlighting gaps in public services, Narang alleged that in 53 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, people were still running from office to office for birth and death registration due to the lack of logistics.The councillor also questioned expenditure on streetlighting, stating that Rs 592 crore is being spent on the operation and maintenance of close to four lakh streetlights across four zones, yet lights remain non-functional for months in many residential colonies and lanes.On infrastructure, Narang said waste-to-energy projects appeared heavy on announcements but weak on outcomes. He claimed that while the capacity expansion at plants in Narela-Bawana, Okhla and Ghazipur was being discussed, several biogas and bio-CNG projects whose foundation stones were laid were yet to become operational.Narang demanded an independent audit to assess the reasons behind the financial crisis and past salary delays. He also sought clarity on property tax collection, questioning how much of the reported increase came from new taxpayers versus the recovery from existing ones.

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