Delhi CM announces think tank DITI, promises new drone, semiconductor policies​

New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Tuesday that the government plans to establish a new think tank— Delhi Institutional Think Tank (DITI) — on the lines of NITI Aayog, and new semiconductor and drone policies will be introduced to position the city as a hub for advanced technology and manufacturing.​

During the presentation of Budget 2026-27, the Chief Minister also announced that, to improve governance, 13 mini secretariats will be set up (at a cost of Rs 100 crore) to offer integrated public services.​

All properties will be assigned a unique ID (‘Bhu-Aadhaar’) and land records digitised via the NGDRS portal, she said.​

District magistrates will receive Rs 59 crore from the district development fund. A modern, paperless and faceless registration system will be introduced. A state-of-the-art Emergency Operations Centre will be set up (Rs 10 crore), she said.​

The Chief Minister also signalled that the city’s judicial infrastructure will be strengthened with new court complexes in Shastri Park, Karkardooma, Rohini and Rouse Avenue, along with a family court in Rohini (Rs 230 crore).​

A forensic science lab will be built in Sheikh Sarai (Rs 2 crore). A high-security jail will be constructed in Narela to reduce overcrowding. The Centre has also approved the separation of Delhi’s public account from the Union government’s account, said the Chief Minister.​

A budget document showed that to boost the industry, Rs 48 crore has been allocated for MSME common facility centres and Rs 10 crore for a new warehousing policy.​

Under the RAMP scheme, 32,000 MSMEs will be trained, and 15,000 businesses will be linked to digital platforms such as GeM and ONDC.​

The allocation for tourism has been increased from Rs 121 crore to Rs 412 crore. Art, culture and language get Rs 173 crore. The ‘Branding Delhi’ initiative (Rs 50 crore) will support a tourism master plan and digital promotion, said the budget document, adding that Delhi will host its first International Film Festival.​

The budget documents propose that about 1,000 modern toilets will be built, major junctions beautified, and 13 grand entry gates constructed (Rs 300 crore); a ‘Delhi Sadan’ will be built (Rs 10 crore), and the Institute of Hotel Management will be redeveloped.​

A new film policy (Rs 5 crore) and an AVGC policy will boost creative industries, and the Town Hall will be developed into a global heritage centre, said a budget document.​

The Green Budget totals Rs 22,236 crore (21.44 per cent of the total outlay), the Chief Minister said.​

The environment budget has been increased from Rs 505 crore to Rs 822 crore. A Rs 300 crore pollution control and emergency response plan includes mechanical sweepers, anti-smog guns and water sprinklers, she said.​

She said the MCD will receive Rs 204 crore for pollution control, and Rs 2 crore has been allocated for monitoring systems, including ICCC, war rooms and real-time tracking.​

The government will collaborate with the World Bank on advanced environmental solutions. Urban forests, parks, and green spaces will be expanded, the document showed.​

Waste processing capacity will be increased from 7,000 to 15,000 metric tonnes per day, with expansion of waste-to-energy plants at Narela, Okhla, Ghazipur, and Tehkhand, a budget document showed.​

About 1,500 tonnes of cow dung waste will be converted into energy daily. A carbon credit monetisation scheme will also be implemented through a robust MRV system, it said.​

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated that this budget is a historic step towards transforming Delhi into a modern, clean, safe, inclusive, and eco-friendly global capital.​

--IANS

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