Rs 100 crore allocated in Delhi Budget 2025: What are Atal Canteens announced by CM Rekha Gupta?

Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday presented the state budget for the 2025-2026 financial year with an outlay of Rs one lakh crore, marking a 31.5% increase from the previous year.

She announced several initiatives for the national capital including allocation of Rs 100 crore for setting up 100 Atal Canteens.

What are Atal Canteens

Atal Canteens are subsidised food outlets namedafter former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The move is inspired by Tamil Nadu’s Amma Canteens and Karnataka’s Indira Canteens.

The Bharatiya Janata Party had promised to establish Atal Canteens in their Delhi  election manifesto. The Delhi government looks to set up these canteens in every slum cluster, offering hot, cooked meals for just Rs 5.

Similar initiative in Haryana

Earlier, the Haryana government had introduced Atal Kisan Mazdoor Canteens to provide affordable meals to farmers and labourers working in agricultural markets (mandis), where workers can just get can get a plate of chapatis, rice, dal, and seasonal vegetables for Rs 10

Initially, these canteens operated only during procurement seasons, but in July 2023, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced that they would now remain open throughout the year to support workers even in the off-season.

Capital expenditure increased to Rs 28,000

Additionally, the CM announced that the capital expenditure will increase to Rs 28,000 crore and Rs 5,100 crore earmarked to provide Rs 2,500 per month to eligible women. She also allocated Rs 2,144 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, aiming to improve healthcare services in the capital.

She further said that over 50,000 cameras will be installed and Rs 696 crores will be allocated to provide basic facilities in slums and JJ colonies.

Rekha Gupta slams AAP govt

Meanwhile, she targeted the previous AAP government for their inaction and claimed that the government income decreased because the government revenue was going into the "pockets" of liquor mafia and PWD contractors.

"The previous government failed in every aspect of development. Yamuna was unclean, roads were damaged, air pollution was high. Delhi Jal Board, DTC were facing losses. Dirty water and overflowing sewers became Delhi's identity. Being handed over such a government and running it is no less than a challenge," she said.

"The previous government did not have the will. Those figures were the result of financial mismanagement. Government income decreased because the government revenue was going into the pockets of liquor mafia and PWD contractors. The days of mismanagement of the disaster government are over," she added.