'New excise policy in the works, will honour all our commitments': Delhi CM Rekha Gupta

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. (File photo/PTI)

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday said that "new excise policy" for the national capital is in the works and working in tandem with the Centre is her government's "biggest financial asset".

In an interview with the Hindustan Times, CM Rekha Gupta said, "Yes, of course. We are working on a new excise policy. We are working on it right now, but it is a work in progress. We are just a month-old government, so it’s too early to disclose specifics. Other policies, such as industrial and warehouse policies, are also being developed."

"The coordination between the Centre and the state government is the biggest financial asset for any state. The previous government refused to work in sync with the Centre, derailing financial opportunities that could have been utilised. Funds were offered by the Centre, but the previous government was unwilling to utilise them," Gupta added.

'Will honour all our commitments'

When asked about the implementation of government schemes and promises made in the manifesto, Rekha Gupta told HT, "With proper coordination, we have been able to draft a large-scale budget that will drive Delhi’s development. When a government takes office, budget allocations must be made, schemes designed, rules framed, registrations completed, and scrutiny carried out. This isn’t a one-time scheme with a lump sum payout—we have to ensure a sustainable framework so that benefits reach only eligible recipients."

"The AAP government often announced schemes on paper but couldn’t sustain them beyond a year. We don’t want to make the same mistake," Gupta said while taking a dig at the previous AAP government in Delhi.

"We promised support for poor women, so we must define the eligibility criteria carefully to prevent misuse, like what happens in EWS schemes where benefits sometimes go to ineligible people. Implementation takes time, but we will honour all our commitments," she added, as reported by Hindustan Times.

Rekha Gupta's dig at AAP

The Delhi CM took a dig at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over their failure to implement promises made during election campaigns and still criticizing her government.

"They should reflect on their own record — they promised free Wi-Fi in Delhi 10 years ago. Tell me, which part of Delhi gets free Wi-Fi? They ran their government as they pleased. We, on the other hand, will continue existing schemes while introducing new ones," she said."

Further stating that they are just a month-old government, she said, "We are only a month into governance. You cannot expect a month-old government to [implement schemes this quick]. The fiscal year starts April 1, and we have just presented the budget — this was a massive task. We need to assess the opening balance and determine how many beneficiaries we can support while maintaining financial stability. We cannot stop paying salaries to fund this scheme; we must balance both priorities."

"The previous government left hospital projects incomplete, failed to build schools and colleges, and didn’t pay salaries in 12 Delhi government colleges. They governed as though they were unaccountable. We, however, will ensure salaries are paid, infrastructure is developed, and governance is efficient across all sectors," Gupta told HT.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) returned to power in Delhi for the first time after 1998, after it won the assembly polls in February this year. The party won 48 out of 70 assembly constituencies, ending the decade-long rule of the Aam Aadmi Party, which managed to win just 22 seats.