`16,396cr outlay to focus on quality education

The Delhi government allocated `16,396 crore for education in its budget for fiscal year 2024-25 announced on Monday, a slight decline from the previous fiscal budgetary outlay of `16,575 crore.

Presenting her first budget in the Delhi Assembly, finance minister Atishi said the priority of the state government is to focus on providing quality education to the residents of the city. The minister highlighted that the government schools under the Kejriwal-led state government have transformed significantly.

“In the last 10 years, major changes have been introduced in Delhi government schools. We doubled the budget for education in the national capital. Today we are proposing a budget of `16,396 crore for education in Delhi,” she said.

◗ ATISHI highlighted that the government schools under the Kejriwal-led state government have transformed significantly

“Before the Kejriwal government, the condition of Delhi government schools was not good. People were forced to go to private schools to study,” Ms Atishi, who also holds the education portfolio, added.

In the year 2023-24, the Delhi education department received the highest allocation of `16,575 crore. In her budget speech, Ms Atishi said former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia had played a significant role in improving the education scenario in Delhi.

“Every year from 2015 to 2022, I had heard Manish ji’s budget speech. Today in his absence, when I am going to present the budget, I sought the blessings of Manish ji’s mother and wife,” she said .

In the Assembly, Ms Atishi said the Kejriwalled Delhi government has been working on teachers' training and has so far regularised 47,914 teachers while the recruitment process for 7,000 vacancies is currently underway.

"In 2023, 324 principals were directly appointed from the UPSC for Delhi government schools for the first time. Additionally, 389 vice-principals were promoted to the position of principal,” Ms Atishi said.