NCT Of Delhi Department-wise Schemes Update 2026-27

Policy Update
Himanshi Singh

Background

The NCT of Delhi, with a geographical area of 1,484 sq km and a population exceeding 2 crore, is an urban city-state and Union Territory with a Legislative Assembly. This administrative setup, combined with high migration rates, dense population, and intense urban needs, makes effective welfare delivery and robust civic infrastructure central to its developmental strategy.

On 24 March 2026, Smt. Rekha Gupta, Chief Minister and Finance Minister, presented the Delhi Budget for FY 2026-27 with a total outlay of Rs 1,03,700 crore, a 3.7% increase over the previous fiscal year’s Rs 1,00,000 crore. Notably, the budget is framed through a “Green Lens,” earmarking 21% of the total outlay (Rs 21,777 crore) for green initiatives, environmental sustainability, and pollution control to combat air pollution.

Of the total, Rs 62,550 crore is allocated under welfare schemes, programs, and projects, while Rs 41,150 crore is for establishment expenditure. The revenue budget stands at Rs 72,900.28 crore, and the capital budget is Rs 30,799.72 crore, reflecting an intensive capital push. According to the Delhi Economic Survey 2025-26, the city’s GSDP grew by 8.53% to 9.42%, beating the national average.

Welfare delivery is anchored through the e-District portal, Doorstep Delivery of Public Services (1076 helpline), and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

NCT of DELHI BUDGET 2026-27 – DEPARTMENT-WISE SCHEMES

School Education Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 19,148 crore (18.64% of total budget)
Active Schemes:
1. Free Bicycles Scheme for Girls (Launch Year: 2024 / Expanded in 2026): Allocates Rs 90 crore to provide free bicycles to 1.3 lakh Class 9 girl students in government schools to ease school commutes and lower dropout rates.
2. Free Laptops for Toppers (Launch Year: 2026): Allocates Rs 10 crore to distribute laptops to meritorious Class 10 government school toppers to encourage digital learning and computer literacy.
3. Student Technology Exposure Visits (Launch Year: 2026): Allocates Rs 18.5 crore to sponsor educational tours and exposure visits for students to premier emerging technology hubs and industrial centers.
4. Smart School Infrastructure Upgradation (Launch Year: 2025): Upgrades 7,000 classrooms across Delhi government schools with interactive digital smart boards to modernize pedagogical delivery.
5. New Schools Scheme (Launch Year: 2026): Funds the establishment of a brand-new Sainik School and 10 new Kendriya Vidyalayas across Delhi districts.
6. Private School Fee Regulation (Launch Year: 2016): Implements regulatory audits of private schools under the Delhi School Fee Regulation Act to prevent arbitrary fee hikes.
Targeted Coverage: Over 65 lakh students enrolled in public and private schools in Delhi.

Health and Family Welfare Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 12,645 crore (12.57% of total budget)
Active Schemes:
1. Ayushman Bharat Delhi Integration (Launch Year: 2025 / Updated in 2026): Integrates the central health insurance scheme with an additional state-sponsored cover of Rs 5 lakh, providing a total double cover of Rs 10 lakh per family.
2. Transgender Inclusive Universal Care (Launch Year: 2026): Formally incorporates transgender individuals as direct beneficiaries under the universal health insurance scheme.
3. Pending Hospital Projects Completion (Launch Year: 2026): Allocates Rs 500 crore to finish major pending hospital construction projects in Jwalapuri, Hastsal, Madipur, and Siraspur.
4. GTB Hospital Trauma Centre (Launch Year: 2026): Allocates Rs 200 crore to construct a state-of-the-art trauma center at Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital to expand emergency response capabilities.
5. Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Launch Year: 2026): Establishes 750 new primary health mandirs to operate in tandem with local Mohalla Clinics, providing free consultations, 110 medicines, and 212 tests.
Targeted Coverage: Low-income families, transgender individuals, and local residential communities.

Transport Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 2,500 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Pink Ticket Scheme (Launch Year: 2019): Continues the landmark initiative providing completely free travel for female commuters in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses via “Pink Tickets.”
2. Public Transit Electrification Plan (Launch Year: 2020 / Targets Expanded in 2026): Speeds up public transit greening; active electric bus fleet increased to 4,338 e-buses (out of 6,100 total buses) as of March 2026, targeting a 10,000-bus fleet (80% electric).
3. Female Electric Auto Permit Scheme (Launch Year: 2026): Allocates 1,000 free electric auto-rickshaw permits to female drivers to promote clean public mobility and generate green livelihoods.
Targeted Coverage: Millions of female commuters and transit passengers across Delhi.

Power Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 3,942 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Free Domestic Electricity (Zero Bill Scheme) (Launch Year: 2015): Provides a complete 100% waiver of electricity bills for domestic consumers utilizing up to 200 units monthly.
2. Power Subsidy Scheme (Launch Year: 2015): Provides a 50% state-sponsored power tariff subsidy for domestic households using 201 to 400 units monthly.
3. Power Outage Compensation Scheme (Launch Year: 2016): Mandates private distribution companies (discoms) to pay direct financial compensation to consumers if power cuts exceed 2 hours daily.
Targeted Coverage: Over 36 lakh domestic consumers (benefiting approximately 90% of Delhi families).

Delhi Jal Board (DJB / Water Department)

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 9,000 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Free Lifeline Water Scheme (Launch Year: 2015): Delivers 20,000 liters of clean drinking water monthly free of cost to households equipped with functional metered water connections.
2. Late Fee Surcharge Waiver Scheme (Launch Year: 2015): Waives late-payment surcharges on outstanding water bills for domestic users to ease credit burdens.
3. Yamuna Cleaning Action Plan (Launch Year: 2020 / Accelerated in 2026): Allocates Rs 500 crore to build 40 decentralized sewage treatment plants (STPs) and upgrade existing lines to prevent raw industrial and domestic sewage discharge into the river.
Targeted Coverage: Over 20 lakh households with metered connections.

Public Works Department (PWD)

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 5,921 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Dust-Free Corridor Carpeting Scheme (Launch Year: 2026): Allocates Rs 1,352 crore for road carpeting to mitigate atmospheric road dust.
2. Arterial Road Resurfacing Project (Launch Year: 2026): Allocates Rs 392 crore to completely resurface and carpet 750 km of arterial roads (out of Delhi’s 1,400 km PWD network).
3. East Delhi Drainage and Road Rehabilitation (Launch Year: 2026): Allocates Rs 1,075 crore for comprehensive drainage upgrades, outfall desilting, and road redevelopment.
Targeted Coverage: 1,400 km of arterial roads and major drainage lines.

Development Department (Agriculture & Rural)

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 960 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Delhi Village Development Board Projects (Launch Year: 2015): Allocates Rs 787 crore to pave rural pathways, install LED streetlights, and build community halls and sports grounds in rural pockets.
2. High statutory Crop Loss Compensation (Launch Year: 2015): Pays India’s highest crop damage compensation of Rs 50,000 per hectare to local farmers affected by unseasonal rainfall or crop failures.
Targeted Coverage: Rural villages and peripheral farming communities.

Urban Development Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 7,887 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Unauthorized Colonies Civic Upgradation (Launch Year: 2015 / Updated in 2026): Allocates Rs 800 crore to lay cement roads, concrete drains, and piped water connections in unapproved habitations.
2. Trans Yamuna Area Development Board Projects (Launch Year: 2026): Allocates Rs 300 crore for localized infrastructure projects in trans-Yamuna municipal wards.
3. Slum and Jhuggi-Jhopri (JJ) Cluster Upliftment (Launch Year: 2015): Coordinates and finances basic sanitation, mobile toilets, and water tankers in informal settlements.
Targeted Coverage: Over 1,700 unauthorized colonies and slum clusters.

Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Support

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 11,666 crore (highest-ever municipal grant)
Active Schemes:
1. Colony Road Improvement Scheme (Launch Year: 2026): Dedicates Rs 1,000 crore exclusively to the repair, carpeting, and resurfacing of internal residential streets.
2. Civic Devolution Grant (Launch Year: Annual): Finances municipal sanitation, solid waste management, primary healthcare dispensaries, and primary schools.
Targeted Coverage: All municipal zones and residential colonies across Delhi.

Environment and Forest Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 380 crore (Supplementing the Rs 21,777 crore broader “Green Budget” targets)
Active Schemes:
1. Air Pollution Mitigation Plan (Launch Year: Annual / Updated in 2026): Earmarks Rs 380 crore for implementing the Winter Action Plan, operating smog towers, and distributing bio-decomposers to local farms.
2. Mandatory Tree Transplantation Scheme (Launch Year: 2020): Enforces the Tree Transplantation Policy, mandating an 80% survival rate for transplanted trees across construction sites.
3. Urban Forestry and Plantation Drive (Launch Year: 2026): Funds city-wide greening initiatives to preserve and expand forest cover, which reached 23% in 2025-26.
Targeted Coverage: NCT-wide ecological and forest zones.

Social Welfare Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 2,800 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Enhanced Old Age Pension Scheme (Launch Year: Annual / Pension Increased in 2025-26): Disburses a direct monthly financial pension of Rs 3,000 (increased from Rs 2,500) to elderly citizens aged 70 and above.
2. Divyangjan Social Security Pension (Launch Year: Annual / Pension Increased in 2025-26): Disburses a monthly financial pension of Rs 3,000 directly to registered persons with disabilities (divyangjan) to secure their economic dignity.
Targeted Coverage: 4.40 lakh senior citizens and registered persons with disabilities.

Women and Child Development Department (WCD)

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 5,540 crore (combined outlays)
Active Schemes:
1. Mahila Samridhi Yojana (Launch Year: 2024 / Updated in 2025-26): Allocates Rs 5,100 crore to disburse monthly direct-benefit transfers of Rs 2,500 (increased from Rs 1,000) to low-income and distressed women.
2. Festive LPG Cylinder Subsidy (Launch Year: 2026): Allocates Rs 260 crore to provide two free domestic LPG cylinders annually (one during Holi, one during Diwali) to economically weaker families.
3. Delhi Ladli Scheme (Launch Year: 2008): Offers conditional cash transfers to girl children upon crossing educational milestones to promote female education and delay early marriage.
Targeted Coverage: 4.09 lakh women in distress and underprivileged families.

Labour Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 400 crore
Active Schemes:
1. BOCW Construction Worker Welfare Card Scheme (Launch Year: 2006): Disburses direct monetary benefits, including maternity assistance, disability pensions, group insurance, and educational scholarships for workers’ children via Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) board funds.
2. Statutory Minimum Wages Scheme (Launch Year: Annual): Enforces India’s highest statutory minimum wage rates across unorganized sectors, revised biannually to counter inflation.
Targeted Coverage: Over 10 lakh registered construction workers in Delhi.

Delhi Fire Service and Home Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 1,024 crore (combined allocation)
Active Schemes:
1. Fire Service Modernization Project (Launch Year: 2026): Allocates Rs 674 crore (increased from Rs 540 crore post-Palam tragedy) to upgrade fire stations, purchase heavy hydraulic platforms, and deploy Quick Response Vehicles in narrow lanes.
2. Home Guards & Bus Marshals Support (Launch Year: Annual): Allocates Rs 350 crore for Home Guards honorariums and deploying civil defense bus marshals to ensure passenger security on public transit.
Targeted Coverage: Fire rescue networks, civil defense personnel, and public transit passengers.

Tourism, Art, Culture, and Language Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 270 crore (combined allocation)
Active Schemes:
1. Mega Tourism Events Scheme (Launch Year: 2026): Organizes major retail, food, and culture events, such as the Delhi Shopping Festival and Delhi Film Festival, to stimulate local tourism and trade.
2. Street Theatre Promotion Scheme (Launch Year: Annual): Funds street theater artists (nukkad natak) to perform across community nodes, promoting public welfare messaging.
3. Language Academy Promotion Grants (Launch Year: Annual): Distributes operational and promotional grants to regional Hindi, Punjabi, Sanskrit, and Urdu language academies.
Targeted Coverage: Language academies, local performing artists, and visiting tourists.

Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 850 crore
Active Schemes:
1. National Food Security Act (NFSA) Distribution (Launch Year: 2013): Distributes free and highly subsidized food grains through a digital network of 1,953 Fair Price Shops.
2. Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) Subsidized Sugar Scheme (Launch Year: 2013): Supplies 35 kg of food grains monthly to vulnerable AAY families and provides 1 kg of sugar free of cost to cardholders.
Targeted Coverage: 72.21 lakh targeted PDS beneficiaries in Delhi.

Trade and Taxes Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 50 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Traders’ Welfare Board Scheme (Launch Year: 2025 / Established in 2026): Establishes a dedicated board to identify and resolve licensing, infrastructure, and operational challenges of local traders and market associations.
2. GST Compliance & Grievance Redressal (Launch Year: 2017): Implements localized facilitation camps to streamline digital tax filing and address grievances for retail businesses.
Targeted Coverage: Thousands of local traders, retailers, and small business owners.

Administrative Reforms Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 120 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Doorstep Delivery of Public Services (Launch Year: 2018 / Upgraded in 2026): Operates the 1076 helpline, allowing citizens to obtain 100+ government certificates, birth/marriage licenses, and cards without visiting physical government offices.
2. e-Governance Standardization Drive (Launch Year: Annual): Audits and updates service charters across government entities to reduce red tape and transition to digital files.
Targeted Coverage: Entire 2 crore citizen base of Delhi.

Audit Department (Directorate of Audit)

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 40 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Local Fund Audit Scheme (Launch Year: Annual): Conducts systematic internal audits of all public funds, schools, municipal units, and grants-in-aid recipients.
2. Fiscal Compliance Enforcement Plan (Launch Year: Annual): Verifies that all departments utilize their capital outlays in strict adherence to the general financial rules.
Targeted Coverage: All GNCTD executive offices and public-funded agencies.

Cooperative Societies Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 35 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Cooperative Society Digitalization Scheme (Launch Year: 2025): Funds the transition of paper records of thrift, credit, and housing societies into a secure centralized online portal.
2. Cooperative Dispute Resolution Board (Launch Year: Annual): Resolves operational disputes and housing issues within cooperative societies under a fast-track statutory framework.
Targeted Coverage: Shareholding citizens and housing cooperative societies.

Training and Technical Education Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 800 crore
Active Schemes:
1. World Class Skill Centres (WCSC) (Launch Year: 2019): Runs state-of-the-art skill centres in partnership with international institutions to offer employment-linked vocational courses.
2. Technical Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (Launch Year: Annual): Finances state apprenticeships for diploma and vocational pass-outs in private manufacturing and clean energy setups.
Targeted Coverage: Vocational students and job-seeking youth.

Higher Education Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 400 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Higher Education Credit Guarantee Scheme (Launch Year: 2015): Provides collateral-free, government-backed educational loans of up to Rs 10 lakh for low-income students.
2. Specialized University Infrastructure Scheme (Launch Year: 2026): Funds the ongoing construction and scaling of specialized institutions, including Education City in Narela, Delhi Sports University in Mundka, and National Law University.
Targeted Coverage: Meritorious college students and sports trainees.

Excise, Entertainment, and Luxury Tax Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 90 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Excise Duty Optimization Project (Launch Year: Annual): Combats illegal bootlegging, regulates state-approved retail vend networks, and monitors excise duty compliance.
2. Integrated Hospitality Licensing System (Launch Year: 2024): Simplifies regulatory and luxury tax clearances for hotels and entertainment venues through a unified portal.
Targeted Coverage: Retail vendors, hospitality units, and state treasury operations.

Finance Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Directly oversees overall Rs 1,03,700 crore budget management
Active Schemes:
1. Green Budgeting Framework Scheme (Launch Year: 2026): Integrates the “Green Lens” into financial accounting, earmarking 21% (Rs 21,777 crore) of the state’s budget specifically for environmental measures.
2. Treasury and Own-Tax Optimization Project (Launch Year: Annual): Targets own-tax revenues of Rs 74,000 crore, optimizing collections across GST, stamps, VAT, excise, and vehicle taxes.
Targeted Coverage: All administrative branches, public services, and treasury operations.

General Administration Department (GAD)

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 300 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Secretariat Infrastructure Support Program (Launch Year: Annual): Manages administrative facilities, communications, and security infrastructure across the Delhi Secretariat.
2. Inter-Departmental Cabinet Coordination Scheme (Launch Year: Annual): Standardizes cabinet note flows, tracks ministerial decisions, and coordinates joint departments.
Targeted Coverage: The administrative cabinet and the central secretariat.

Information Technology (IT) Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 180 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Secure Government Wide Area Network (WAN) (Launch Year: Annual): Provides high-speed, secure point-to-point digital networks across all government secretariats, district collectorates, and municipal offices.
2. Geospatial Delhi Mapping Scheme (Launch Year: 2010): Utilizes GSDL to continuously map physical land boundaries and utility records (water lines, power cables) using GPS technology.
Targeted Coverage: All public offices, planning commissions, and utility bodies.

Irrigation and Flood Control Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 550 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Najafgarh and Pandwalan Outfalls Remodeling (Launch Year: 2026): Redesigns and widens major drainage channels to improve rain-flow discharge.
2. River Yamuna Embankment Protection Scheme (Launch Year: Annual): Reinforces active bunds, stone walls, and embankments along the Yamuna to prevent seasonal monsoon flooding.
Targeted Coverage: Flood-prone low-lying areas and peripheral farming tracts.

Land and Building Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 150 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Statutory Land Acquisition Compensation Scheme (Launch Year: Annual): Oversees land acquisition for public utilities, releasing fair-value cash compensations to landowners.
2. Institutional Land Allotment Scheme (Launch Year: Annual): Assigns physical parcels of acquired land for building public schools, hospitals, and transport depots.
Targeted Coverage: Landowners and public utility development boards.

Law, Justice, and Legislative Affairs Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 350 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Free Legal Aid Services Scheme (Launch Year: Annual): Funds the Delhi State Legal Services Authority to offer free legal representation to low-income litigants.
2. Subordinate Judicial Infrastructure Upgradation (Launch Year: Annual): Finances construction and digitization of district court complexes and judicial housing units.
Targeted Coverage: Economically weaker litigants and the subordinate judicial network.

Planning Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 80 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Outcome Budgeting Framework (Launch Year: 2017): Mandates and monitors the publication of the annual “Outcome Budget” across 1,136 performance indicators to track physical delivery against spent funds.
2. SDG Sub-National Monitoring Cell (Launch Year: 2022): Maps and evaluates Delhi’s sector-wise progress against the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Targeted Coverage: All 33 state departments and policy planning bodies.

Revenue Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 450 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Centralized e-District Portal Services (Launch Year: 2015): Delivers income, caste, and dome certificates through a unified online e-District framework.
2. Disaster Relief and Calamity Compensation (Launch Year: Annual): Administers emergency relief funds, coordinating operations during major fires, floods, or structural collapses.
Targeted Coverage: Property transactors, certificate seekers, and disaster-affected citizens.

Services Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 60 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Civil Service Cadre Administration Scheme (Launch Year: Annual): Regulates recruitments, transfers, postings, and service records for IAS, DANICS, and subordinate clerical cadres.
2. State Personnel Capacity Building Initiative (Launch Year: Annual): Funds mandatory administrative training and e-governance workshops in coordination with UTCS.
Targeted Coverage: The state’s administrative civil services cadre.

Vigilance Department

Latest Departmental Outlay: Rs 50 crore
Active Schemes:
1. Anti-Corruption Helpline Operations (Launch Year: Annual): Operates dedicated helplines and online portals for reporting bribery and corruption in public offices.
2. Systemic Vigilance Audits (Launch Year: Annual): Performs random checks, handles departmental inquiries, and maintains a zero-tolerance stance against administrative corruption.
Targeted Coverage: All administrative branches, public boards, and municipal corporations.

Conclusion

The Delhi Budget 2026-27 is a landmark developmental model that harmonizes dense urban welfare needs with visionary green growth. Crossing the Rs 1.03 lakh crore threshold under Smt. Rekha Gupta’s leadership, the NCT of Delhi demonstrates how an urban economy can drive structural environmental sustainability, earmarking a historic 21% of its entire outlay for green projects while maintaining high-growth parameters (over 8.5% GSDP growth) and impeccable fiscal discipline, as evidenced by a Rs 9,661 crore revenue surplus and negligible debt of Rs 11,000 crore.

By combining robust capital investments (dust-free roads, hospital expansions, and drainage upgrades) with comprehensive social security (bicycles, laptops, free utilities, and the Mahila Samridhi Yojana), the Delhi model sets a powerful national benchmark for human capital development and sustainable city planning.

References:

PRS Legislative Research. “Delhi Budget Analysis 2026-27,” March 2026, https://prsindia.org/budgets/states/delhi-budget-analysis-2026-27.

Mint. “From free LPG cylinders to dust-free roads: Key takeaways from Delhi Budget 2026,” March 24, 2026,
https://www.livemint.com/economy/delhi-budget-live-updates-cm-rekha-gupta-presents-1-03-700-cr-budget-for-fy-26-27-bjp-cm-assembly-bomb-threat-11774333279312.html.

Economic Times Education. “Education gets 18.64% of Delhi Budget,” March 25, 2026, https://education.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/government-policies/education-gets-18-64-of-delhi-budget/129797522.

Business Standard. “Delhi Budget 2026: Outlay of ₹1.03 trillion, focus on green initiatives,” March 24, 2026,
https://www.business-standard.com/economy/news/delhi-budget-2026-green-focus-rekha-gupta-allocations-126032400510_1.html.

Hindustan Times. “CM Rekha Gupta presents ₹103700 cr Delhi budget,” March 24, 2026, https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/cm-rekha-gupta-presents-103700-cr-delhi-budget-focus-on-infra-health-edu-101774343751546.html.

About the Contributor

Himanshi Singh is a research & editorial intern at the Impact and Policy Research Institute (IMPRI). She holds a postgraduate degree in political science and international relations. Her research interests include foreign policy, strategic studies, public policy, national security, diplomacy, and global governance, with a particular focus on India’s external relations and evidence-based policy research.

Reviewer: Shruti Chandra & Sneha Kohli

Acknowledgement

The author sincerely thanks the IMPRI Editorial Desk for invaluable mentorship and guidance during the development of this policy update. Special thanks are also extended to fellow interns for their thoughtful inputs and support throughout the research process.

Disclaimer

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of IMPRI. All information is based on publicly available official government publications and is compiled solely for academic and research purposes.