Explore Business Standard
Delhi Government
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday announced a slew of welfare measures for labourers, including setting up mobile health facilities at labour chowks, holding mass weddings for their daughters and providing them direct financial assistance. Interacting with construction workers at the Sant Nirankari Hospital construction site in Dhirpur on International Labour Day, Gupta said the government is committed to the welfare of labourers in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision. She said that the Delhi government also wants to provide assistance to workers for weddings and the education of their children and urged them to ensure that they are registered on the revived portal of the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (DBOCWWB) to avail the benefits of various government schemes. The chief minister said the Labour Department will hold special camps at labour chowks for the registration of workers. Soon, an honorarium will be provided to pregnant wom
There will be no "single-vendor diktat" for parents to buy uniforms, books, and stationery, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said, issuing a stern warning to schools on Thursday. This comes after the Directorate of Education (DoE) had earlier this month asked not to compel students or parents to purchase books, writing materials or uniforms from specific vendors. "I can walk into any private school in Delhi for an inspection, anytime, my inspections are not a gimmick. They are enforcement in action," Gupta said in a post on X. Every school will state it clearly on its notice board, on its website and at any store it operates that parents are free to buy uniforms, books and stationery from anywhere, the chief minister added. "There will be no coercion, no captive buying, no single-vendor diktat. If a school wishes to suggest shop options for convenience, it may provide a written list of five to six shops, but there will be no compulsion of any kind," Gupta further said. Instructions have
Environmental experts have largely welcomed the Delhi government's draft Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy 2026, particularly its focus on battery recycling and lifecycle management, while cautioning that its success will depend heavily on enforcement. Radhe Shyam Sharma, head of the Department of Environmental Studies at Delhi University, described that including "battery recycling" in the policy as "one of the most consequential parts", noting that it shifts attention from vehicle adoption to the environmental risks associated with battery disposal. "This is one of the most consequential parts of the policy, as it moves beyond vehicle adoption to address battery lifecycle management through provisions on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), collection centres, standard operating procedures, and traceability systems," Sharma said. The draft policy places strong emphasis on creating a structured battery recycling ecosystem, with the Environment Department tasked with enforcing Battery
Delhi government to deploy two weed harvester machines at the Najafgarh Drain- one of the biggest contributors of pollutants into the Yamuna, Water Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said on Saturday. According to officials, by targeting the problem at its source, these machines are expected to significantly reduce the pollutant load entering the river while also improving drainage efficiency across the city. "Cleaning the Najafgarh drain is directly linked to cleaning the Yamuna. We are now using modern, Made-in-India machines aligned with the vision of Swachh Bharat to deliver real, visible change," Singh, who is also the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) minister, said. These dual-purpose harvesters are not just machines- they represent technology-led governance in action, he added. Powered by a 112-horsepower engine and equipped with a storage capacity of approximately 14 cubic meters, the machines can cut, collect, and remove dense aquatic vegetation such as water hyacinth along .
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Saturday that there is no shortage of domestic or commercial LPG in the national capital and urged Delhiites "not to panic". She exhorted people not to crowd gas agencies and LPG centres. "Avoid visiting LPG godowns. The administration is making efforts to ensure an uninterrupted LPG supply to people. Strict action will be taken against violators," Gupta said. Sharing the latest government data, the chief minister said on April 3, over 1,11,504 bookings were recorded, while three oil marketing companies delivered 1,26,379 cylinders, clearing pending backlogs. The average delivery time for domestic LPG cylinders in Delhi has now been reduced to four days, ensuring timely, reliable doorstep service for consumers, she said. Officials from the Delhi Government's Department of Food, Supplies and Consumer Affairs said supplies have exceeded demand in recent days. The chief minister said the Delhi Police raided 22 locations across the city to bust rack
The Delhi government has tightened norms for the supply of commercial LPG cylinders, making it mandatory for businesses to either have or apply for a piped natural gas (PNG) connection in areas where the network is available, according to an official order. In an order issued by the Food, Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department on April 2, the government amended a key clause of its recently notified policy on distribution of commercial LPG cylinders. Under the revised rules, commercial and industrial consumers will be eligible to receive LPG supplies only if they are registered with the concerned oil marketing company (OMC) and have applied for a PNG connection, wherever the network exists. According to the order, in areas where PNG infrastructure is not yet in place, consumers will be required to submit an application expressing their intent to switch to PNG once it becomes available. Officials said OMCs will be required to verify documents at least once to ensure compliance with
A multi-level strategy involving coordination with the Centre for policy intervention has been rolled out to manage pressure on LPG supply and the broader energy sector, the Delhi government said on Friday. The announcement came at a press conference held by the government's Department of Food, Supplies and Consumer Affairs. Additional Commissioner Arun Kumar Jha said Delhi has around 56 lakh domestic LPG connections, and residents are being urged to ensure that their connections are registered in the correct name to prevent misuse and diversion. Jha said at the same time, the government is pushing for expansion of piped natural gas (PNG). "Wherever PNG connections are available, residents should shift from LPG to PNG," he said, adding that the pipeline network has now reached "every village". A control room has been set up to monitor the situation and receive complaints and inputs. The government earlier urged citizens to report suspicious activities through helpline numbers ...
The Delhi government has rolled out the 'Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana', aimed at supporting the education and long-term financial security of the girl child through phased financial assistance from birth till higher education. In a gazette notification issued on March 30, the Department of Women and Child Development detailed the 'Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Scheme Rules', which came into force from Wednesday. The new scheme replaces the Ladli Scheme. Under the scheme, financial assistance of up to Rs 61,000 will be provided to eligible beneficiaries in instalments linked to key educational and age-related milestones, and it will mature to Rs 1.20 lakh with interest. The financial assistance will be deposited at various stages beginning at birth and continuing through school and higher education, including diploma and graduation courses. The amount will be released in instalments but will be encashable only after the girl attains 18 or 21 years of age, depending on the milestone, it ...
The Delhi Public Works Department (PWD), to ensure faster laying of PNG pipelines, has decided to approve road-cutting permission within 24 hours from receiving the request, an official order said on Thursday. The PWD, which is the main road owning agency in the national capital, has also waived off road restoration charges for three months, in a fresh order issued. "It is further directed that permission for road cutting for laying of Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) pipelines shall be accorded within 24 hours of receipt of a complete request, along with directions to commence the work immediately," the order said. The road restoration charges applicable for laying of IGL pipelines for PNG connections are hereby waived for a period of three months up to June 30, 2026, it added. The road restoration charge is levied by the road-owning agency on any service provider cutting a road or footpath to lay down the lines. "In view of the prevailing circumstances and in public interest, the
The Delhi Legislative Assembly received a fresh bomb threat via email on Wednesday, a day after the House received similar threats just hours before Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's scheduled budget presentation, officials said. According to sources, the latest email, sent in the early hours to the official email ID of the Assembly Speaker, alleged that bombs have been planted in the in the premises amid the ongoing assembly session. The sender also made several provocative assertions and references in the message, they said. The development comes a day after the Assembly received two threatening emails on Tuesday morning via an email to the assembly at 7:28 am, followed by another email sent to Speaker Vijender Gupta at 7:49 am, prompting a massive security drill ahead of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's scheduled budget presentation. Following the fresh threat, security agencies intensified checks in and around the Assembly premises. Bomb disposal squads, dog squads and local police team
The Delhi government will finance its highest-ever budget, tabled by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday, through its own revenue pegged at Rs 74,000 crore and Rs 16,700 crore market borrowing through the RBI. The Budget Estimates in 2026-27 of Rs 1,03,700 crore is Rs 3,700 crore higher than the Rs 1,00,000 crore BE in 2025-26, an increase of 3.7 per cent. It will be the first time that the Delhi government will source budget funds through market borrowing. In January this year, the Delhi government signed an MoU with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), under which the central bank serves as the banker, debt manager and financial agent of the government. The agreement enables market borrowing through state development loans, automatic investment of surplus cash, professional cash management and access to low-cost liquidity facilities within the framework prescribed by the Centre and the RBI Act. Gupta had said that funds raised through market borrowings would be utilised exclusivel
The Delhi government has approved the outstanding payments to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the construction of two major expressways around the national capital. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Saturday that the cabinet recently approved a proposal by the Public Works Department to clear the outstanding amount in a phased manner. "As part of this plan, Rs 500 crore will be released in the financial year 2025-26 from the revised budget estimates to the Union Government or the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)," a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said. The remaining Rs 3,203.33 crore will be paid in instalments in the coming years, depending on budgetary provisions, it added. According to the chief minister, the expressways, which became operational in 2018, have effectively created a protective traffic ring around Delhi through Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. "The payment would resolve long-pending inter-state financial issues and improve ..
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday and discussed the national capital's all-around development. "I had the privilege of a heartfelt meeting with the Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which I received his invaluable guidance. His visionary leadership and special affection for Delhi always fill us with fresh energy and inspiration," Gupta said in a post on X. The BJP leader said that during the meeting, detailed discussions on Delhi's all-around development were held, including strengthening infrastructure, and commitment to fulfilling the people's aspirations. "With the able guidance and continuous support of the prime minister, we are fully committed to taking Delhi to new heights of progress, prosperity, and good governance," she added. Gupta also thanked the prime minister for his constant inspiration and for giving his valuable time.
In a bid to strengthen the EV infrastructure, the Delhi government is likely to urge vehicle manufacturers to set up charging stations under its new EV policy, a senior government official said on Friday. With the existing electric vehicle (EV) policy set to lapse by March-end, the government plans to finalise and notify the revised policy by then, looking to table the policy in the upcoming budget session. "We have asked around 400 venders and vehicle-makers to explore setting up EV charging stations, and the Delhi government will provide all required assistance," an official said. With its pollution-control action plan promoting greater adoption of electric vehicles, the Delhi government plans to add 7,000 EV charging stations across the city. Currently, EV charging stations are mostly situated at Namo Bharat and Delhi Metro stations, and set up by power discoms. Delhi has around 8,800 EV charging stations at present, according to official data. Now, the Delhi government plans t