In first R-Day speech, Delhi CM’s focus on report card, Yamuna, pollution

The CM took the salute at the parade during the state-level ceremony, held annually in the Capital on January 25, which also saw a series of performances. She said the government is also working in a planned way to address “legacy issues” like Yamuna cleaning, garbage dumps and pollution in the city.

“We are digitalising everything in our health system. After the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat health scheme in Delhi, 6.5 lakh people have been registered so far, and more than 20,000 people benefited from it. More than 300 Aayushman Arogya Mandirs have been opened till now,” Gupta said while talking about the government’s performance in the health sector, which she listed as one of its biggest priorities.

Highlighting that the government allocated 21% of the budget to the education sector, she said, “We want every school to have smart classrooms, digital libraries, and computer labs. We are working towards it. We also implemented the Delhi School Education Act 2025 so that parents will be saved from arbitrary fee hikes. We have also allocated Rs 1,300 crore to develop Narela as an education hub,” she said.

Delhi is no longer just the national capital, but is fast becoming the capital of ideas and innovation, the CM emphasised.

On the transport sector, Gupta said, the government aims to strengthen the public transport fleet with 11,000 e-buses in the next three years and expand the Metro network to 500 km from 396 km. It has also allocated Rs 700 crore for developmental works in Delhi’s slum clusters, she added. With initiatives such as Pink Cards for women and the transgender community, the government is ensuring a safe and inclusive Delhi, the CM asserted. “Under the Safe City Project, 10,000 new CCTV cameras and one lakh smart LED street lights will be installed,” she said.

Delhi, the CM said, offers the highest incentive amounts for athletes in the country — gold medal winners at the Olympics and Paralympics receive ₹7 crore, silver medallists ₹5 crore and bronze medallists ₹3 crore.

Highlighting measures for women, workers and social security, the CM underlined in her address that construction workers are being provided financial assistance, a Gig Worker Welfare Board has been constituted, 500 creche centres are being set up, ₹1,700 crore worth of projects are underway under the Delhi Village Development Board, and ₹700 crore has been allocated for development works in slum clusters.