Delhi Chief Secretary Issues Stern Warning Over Slow Fund Utilisation
In a significant development, Delhi Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma has issued a strong directive to all government departments, demanding immediate acceleration in spending and 100% utilisation of funds allocated under the Revised Estimates (RE) for the 2025-26 financial year. The warning comes amid growing concerns over the "slow pace" of expenditure recorded by several key departments, including Health, Public Works Department (PWD), and Transport.
Strict Monitoring and Adverse Consequences
During a recent high-level meeting with senior officials of the Delhi government, Chief Secretary Verma expressed serious concern over the sluggish spending patterns observed across multiple departments. "Adverse view would be taken if any department fails to meet the revised expenditure targets," Verma warned, emphasizing that the government has formulated the Revised Estimates based on comprehensive feedback from departments.
The Finance department presented detailed data on revenue and expenditure during the review meeting, highlighting the concerning spending patterns. Verma specifically noted that "there must not be any case where the expenditure is not 100% of the revised estimates made now at the fag end of financial year."
Current Spending Patterns Revealed
According to the latest data, only 41.57% of the total allocation has been spent during the first three quarters (April to December 2025-26), amounting to Rs 24,651.63 crore out of the Rs 59,300 crore Budget Estimates (BE). The situation appears even more critical in capital expenditure, where spending has not even crossed the 50% mark.
Specifically, of the Rs 23,011.20 crore allocated for capital expenditure in BE 2025-26, only Rs 6,819.84 crore (29.63%) has been utilized so far. Capital budgets are crucial for infrastructure projects related to roads, buildings, schools, and hospitals, making this underutilization particularly concerning for Delhi's development agenda.
Revised Estimates and Departmental Commitments
In the Revised Estimates presented earlier this month, the government increased the capital outlay from Rs 28,115 crore in the Budget Estimate to Rs 30,248 crore, with particular focus on road, transport, education, housing, and urban development sectors. However, allocations under schemes, programmes, and projects were reduced from Rs 59,300 crore in the BE to Rs 57,850 crore in the RE, while the revenue budget saw a reduction from Rs 71,884 crore to Rs 69,752 crore.
During the meeting, all administrative secretaries assured that necessary steps have been initiated to accelerate spending and meet the expenditure targets approved under the Revised Estimates. In response, Chief Secretary Verma has directed all secretaries to implement weekly monitoring of expenditure patterns to ensure timely utilization of allocated funds.
Broader Financial Context
The Delhi government had presented an annual Budget of Rs 1 lakh crore for the current fiscal year, making the efficient utilization of these funds critical for implementing various development projects and welfare schemes. The Chief Secretary's warning underscores the administration's commitment to ensuring that public funds are utilized effectively and efficiently, particularly as the financial year approaches its conclusion.
The directive comes at a crucial time when infrastructure development and public service delivery are paramount concerns for the national capital. The emphasis on 100% fund utilization reflects the government's determination to maximize the impact of budgetary allocations across all sectors of governance and development.
