Delhi Pledges Aid to Municipal Corporation
Delhi's Chief Minister has pledged financial aid amounting to thousands of crores of rupees to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The funds are designated for a variety of civic works and infrastructure projects across the city.
- The total financial assistance pledged is approximately ₹3,700 crore. - A significant portion, around ₹1,330 crore, is allocated for the paving, repair, and strengthening of nearly 1,000 kilometers of roads that are less than 60 feet wide, with a completion deadline of September 30, 2026. - To address sanitation and pollution, a long-term project valued at ₹2,300 crore will be implemented over a 10-year operational expenditure model, which includes deploying 70 new mechanical road sweepers and 1,000 electric litter pickers. - The education and community sectors will receive ₹50 crore each for the upgradation of MCD primary schools and the repair of 298 community buildings, respectively. - This aid comes after a history of financial disputes; in 2021, the Delhi government provided ₹938 crore for salaries amid accusations that the then BJP-led MCD was bankrupted, a claim the MCD denied. - The announcement follows the reunification of the MCD in 2022, a move made to address the financial instability and service disparities that arose after its trifurcation in 2012. - Opposition parties recently criticized the MCD's 2026-27 budget, raising concerns about falling revenue projections and an increase in the Municipal Commissioner's financial powers from ₹5 crore to ₹50 crore. - An audit report for 2022-23 tabled in the Delhi assembly highlighted estimated losses of ₹312.5 crore at the MCD due to financial irregularities and non-realization of revenue.
