Budget Brings Cheer to Delhi Voters with Key Announcements

The Narendra Modi government, while adhering to the Election Commission of India’s directive to avoid announcing Delhi-specific schemes in the Union Budget 2025-26, has still provided voters in the election-bound city with several reasons to cheer.

Beyond the tax exemption for the middle class, which benefits all Indian citizens, several central schemes may indirectly help Delhi residents, particularly slum dwellers and those in unauthorised colonies requiring infrastructure upgrades.

In her eighth successive Budget speech on Saturday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced various initiatives for street vendors, gig workers, middle-class homebuyers dealing with stressed housing projects, and the urban poor in need of better infrastructure and governance.

The PM SVANidhi scheme, which has supported over 68 lakh street vendors by providing relief from high-interest informal loans, will continue to benefit vendors in Delhi, many of whom hail from Purvanchal and live in slums or unauthorised colonies. Sitharaman introduced a revamped version of the scheme—PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi)—which will offer enhanced bank loans, UPI-linked credit cards, and capacity-building support.

For middle-class homebuyers struggling with stalled housing projects, the Budget announced a new fund to speed up project completion.

“Under the Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH), 50,000 dwelling units in stressed housing projects have been completed, with keys handed over to homebuyers. Another 40,000 units will be completed in 2025, further helping middle-class families paying EMIs while also managing rent,” Sitharaman said.

To build on this success, the government will launch SWAMIH Fund 2, a ₹15,000 crore blended finance facility with contributions from the government, banks, and private investors. This initiative aims to ensure the swift completion of an additional 1 lakh housing units, a move expected to benefit many Delhi homebuyers, particularly in the NCR region.

As promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his election rallies in Delhi, gig workers will receive several benefits.

Sitharaman announced that the government will arrange for their identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal while also providing healthcare under the PM Jan Arogya Yojana, benefiting nearly 1 crore gig workers nationwide.

Election-bound Delhi’s slum dwellers and residents of unauthorised colonies may also gain from the Budget’s ₹1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund, which will support urban infrastructure initiatives under programs like ‘Cities as Growth Hubs,’ ‘Creative Redevelopment of Cities,’ and ‘Water and Sanitation.’

This fund is expected to aid key projects such as Yamuna riverfront development, expanded tap water supply, sewer networks, and pucca houses for slum dwellers in Delhi.

While avoiding direct election-focused announcements, the Budget still delivers measures that could positively impact Delhi voters in multiple ways.