With the Assembly polls scheduled in 2025, the Delhi Government’s budget this year is likely to be focused on tackling water issues across the city, sources said. These issues will include cleaning of the Yamuna, 24-hour water supply, water generation, sewage treatment, sewer network connection, water overflow meter, and water pollution, among others.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, during the 2020 Assembly polls, had said that river Yamuna will be cleaned by 2025 and that he will take a dip in it before the next assembly polls. L-G VK Saxena who has paid several visits to river Yamuna since he took charge, has instructed DJB to expedite projects related to the cleaning of the Yamuna.
Meanwhile, due to the ongoing tussle between the officers and the elected government over funds to the DJB, several projects are stuck, according to sources. The Finance Department had also ordered a special audit of the DJB, and the utilisation of funds and expenditure in the last five years.
Sources said, “Due to the ongoing funding issues, several projects related to cleaning the Yamuna are stuck… installation of RO plants, STPs… The department had announced installation of 500 tubewells besides initiatives to end groundwater depletion… there was a project to install water flowmeters to check the flow of water… Project is being personally monitored by the CM… Besides, sewerage management, availability of drinking water and increasing water supply… the government is working on schemes to increase water availability from the present 995 MGD to about 1,240 MGD by March 2025. This was also part of the 2023-24 budget.”
“A major action plan is likely to be prepared for cleaning the Yamuna and tackle water pollution. It will include a timeline for sewage treatment… plan on how to prevent discharges containing phosphates, detergents, surfactants, flood management, opening of Okhla Barrage gates to monitor water overflow during floods, waterlogging, cleaning of all three major drains,” said a source.
In addition to this, the budget will also focus on the environment, with a key focus on pollution control. The total budget is expected to be more than last year’s budget of Rs. 80,000 crores, said officials.
