New Delhi

The Delhi government has significantly increased its focus on tourism, with the sector’s budget allocation for 2026–27 rising nearly threefold, Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had announced an allocation of Rs 412 crore for tourism in the latest budget, compared to Rs 121 crore in the previous year. An additional Rs 173 crore has been earmarked for the art, culture and language department.

Mishra said that despite Delhi’s strong tourism potential, the sector had not received adequate attention in the past. The enhanced funding, he noted, will support a range of cultural initiatives and infrastructure upgrades.

As part of the plan, the tourism department has been tasked with developing modern public convenience facilities at around 1,000 locations across the city.

The minister also highlighted that about 21 per cent of the overall budget has been designated as a “green budget”, with departments such as public works, flood control and the Delhi Jal Board integrating measures to tackle pollution.

In addition, provisions have been made to establish rest centres for gig workers under the labour department.

Mishra said the budget has received encouraging feedback from traders, women and young people, and expressed confidence that these initiatives would contribute to the city’s growth.

On the cultural front, he announced that Delhi’s first seven-day international film festival will begin on Wednesday at Bharat Mandapam, with the lieutenant governor and the chief minister inaugurating the event.

The festival, running until March 31, will showcase films from across Indian regional industries—including Telugu, Tamil, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati and Bhojpuri cinema—as well as entries from the Northeast and abroad. More than 125 international submissions were received, with 30 films selected for screening.

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The event will also feature workshops and masterclasses for young participants in fields such as theatre, scriptwriting, cinematography, animation and artificial intelligence, led by industry professionals.