Delhi Government

Delhi may allow one-month window to register unregistered e-rickshaws

In an effort to improve road safety, the Delhi transport department is considering giving unregistered e-rickshaw operators a one-month window to complete vehicle registration, officials said on Wednesday. Initially introduced as an eco-friendly transport option, e-rickshaws have increasingly become a problem on city roads due to their slow movement, contribution to traffic congestion and safety concerns. According to the official data of the Delhi government, 204,131 e-rickshaws are registered on the Vahan dashboard as of January 2026. However, unofficial estimates put the actual numbers much higher. "A plan is under consideration to give one month's time since the order is issued to unregistered e-rickshaw owners to get registered so that livelihood is also maintained along with safety on roads," the transport department said in reply to a question in the Delhi Assembly's recent winter session. The date for the start of the scheme has not been decided yet. Earlier this month, the

Over 3,500 EWS applicants not admitted to Delhi schools in 2025-26: Govt

Over 3,500 applicants under the Economically Weaker Sections category could not be admitted to Delhi schools in the 2025-26 academic year, largely due to factors such as parents declining seats because of distance from schools and non-completion of documentation, according to official data. The data from the Directorate of Education (DoE) stated that 29,706 EWS students were admitted in 2025-26 against 33,212 applications, while 3,506 cases of non-admission were recorded. In the preceding academic year, 202425, 26,197 students secured admission out of 28,799 applicants, with 2,603 students not admitted, the data revealed. The department said that non-admission in several cases occurred as parents declined allotted seats due to long commuting distance, children were already enrolled in other schools, or required documents were not submitted within the stipulated time. Some applicants were absent during regional-level document verification or could not produce valid certificates, ...

Delhi govt raises sacramental wine quota, excise limits on denatured spirit

Delhi government has notified the amendments in the excise rules raising the storage and possession quantity of denatured spirit and enhanced the quota of sacramental wine for religious purposes, officials said on Monday. The upper limit of special denatured spirit that can be stored at licensed premises has been raised from 6,744 kilolitres to 15,000 kilolitres at any given time, said a recent Delhi government notification. The annual authorised possession limit for permit holders has also been increased from 64,000 kilolitres to 120,000 kilolitres. The Delhi Excise (Amendment) Rules, 2025, also revised Rule 20 of the Delhi Excise Rules relating to sacramental wine. Earlier, the Bishop of Delhi was allowed to purchase, transport and possess up to 91 litres of sacramental wine for church use. This limit has now been substantially enhanced to 4,000 litres annually. Under the revised provision, the Bishop of Delhi will be permitted to purchase or import duty-free sacramental wine in

Delhi govt to upgrade ITIs with industry partners under PM-SETU scheme

The Delhi government has started the process of upgrading its Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), seeking to engage industry partners under the PM-SETU scheme, officials said. The Department of Training and Technical Education of the Delhi government is the implementing body of the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme's hub and spoke model for the transformation of the ITIs in the city. The Dheerpur-ITI cluster comprising Dheerpur-ITI (hub) and four constituent spoke ITIs at Jail Road, Narela, Sirifort and Jaffarpur has been chosen for the implementation of the PM-SETU scheme in Delhi, the officials said. In such a cluster, the hub ITI might specialise in high-end advanced manufacturing trades, while the spoke ITIs provide foundational courses feeding into the hub. A cluster special purpose vehicle (SPV) led by an industry partner would upgrade the infrastructure across all five ITIs, introduce the latest course like ...

Delhi govt seeks 3,330 more electric buses under PM E-DRIVE scheme

The Delhi government has sent a detailed proposal to the central government agency Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) for the immediate procurement of 3,330 electric buses. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the Delhi government has requested the Centre and the Ministry of Heavy Industries to include this additional requirement, separate from the already allotted quota of 2,800 buses, under the subsidy model. She made it clear that if any technical hurdles arise with regard to subsidies, the Delhi government is fully prepared to bear the cost itself to ensure that there is no delay in procuring the buses. The Transport Department of the Delhi government has sought a total of 3,330 buses, comprising 500 buses of seven metres, 2,330 buses of nine metres and 500 buses of 12 metres. All buses will be low-floor, air-conditioned electric buses. The seven-metre buses will serve narrow streets and provide last-mile connectivity, while the nine-metre buses will operate on smaller roads

Delhi's water bill scheme benefits 2.1 lakh users, ₹11K cr waived: CM

More than 2.1 lakh consumers have availed the Late Payment Surcharge waiver scheme on water bills since its launch, Delhi government officials said on Saturday. The government aims to recover Rs 5,000 in pending dues of Delhi Jal Board (DJB), waiving late payment surcharge amounts to the tune of Rs 11,000 crore. During a discussion in the Delhi Assembly on Friday, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also hailed the waiver scheme and its benefits. "Earlier, people had to run around with their high water bills, but our government launched the waiver scheme in the water sector, which has registered 2,10,654 beneficiaries since its launch," Gupta has said. "Rs 224 crore revenue has been collected by DJB, and we are hoping more people will take this scheme", the chief minister added. According to government officials, to boost awareness, the government will also be launching a public awareness campaign along with partnerships with Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and community groups, the .

Delhi government raises Narela Education City budget to ₹1,300 crore

The Delhi government on Saturday announced a major push to develop Narela as a world-class education and innovation hub, with the project outlay for the proposed Narela Education City being increased from Rs 500 crore to Rs 1,300 crore, Education Minister Ashish Sood said. Addressing a press conference, Sood said the decision reflects the government's long-term vision for strengthening higher and technical education in the national capital. As part of the initiative, possession letters for land parcels measuring about 12.69 acres for Delhi Teachers' University and 22.43 acres for Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University were handed over at Raj Niwas in the presence of the lieutenant governor, he said. The move is expected to give concrete momentum to the project, he added. The minister said Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women (IGDTUW) had earlier been allotted 50 acres of land, and with the latest allocations, the government is moving steadily towards developing a .

Delhi govt working to revive DTC after ₹97K cr losses: CM Rekha Gupta

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday said that her government is trying to revive the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) whose losses rose to Rs 97,000 crore. Addressing a BJP workers meeting in Rohini, the CM also said that the Delhi government has targeted to strengthen public transport by raising the number of e-buses in the city to 11,000 in next few years. The losses of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) are as high as the budget of Delhi. The budget of Delhi is Rs 1 lakh crore while the DTC had losses of Rs 97,000 crore, she said. "In the last 10 months, we have tried to revive the DTC. The previous government in Delhi handed over the entire operations of DTC to Delhi Integrated Multi Modal Transit System (DIMTS) including running buses, finalising routes and hire staff," she said. This threw the DTC into crisis and forced DTC drivers and conductors to sit idle, she said. "But we are gradually rectifying it by solving various issues including payment of pensions. The bus ...

Ways and Means Advances limit for Delhi govt fixed at ₹890 crore: RBI

The Reserve Bank on Friday fixed the Ways and Means Advances (WMA) limit for the Delhi government at Rs 890 crore to help it meet any temporary mismatch in receipts and payments. Earlier this week, the central bank entered into an agreement with the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) to conduct the city government's general banking business, effective from Friday, January 09, 2026. "The WMA limit for GNCTD has been fixed at Rs 890 crore, effective from January 09, 2026," the Reserve Bank of India said in a statement. Accordingly, the revised aggregate WMA limit for State Governments / Union Territories will be Rs 61,008 crore as against the existing limit of Rs 60,118 crore, it added. WMA are temporary advances given by the RBI to the central, state governments and Union Territories to tide over any mismatch in receipts and payments.

Violence won't be tolerated: Delhi Home Minister on demolition drive clash

Delhi Home minister Ashish Sood on Wednesday said stone pelting during removal of encroachment near Faiz-e-Elahi mosque in Turkman Gate area of walled city, was "unfortunate" and warned that violence will not be tolerated. At least five police personnel were injured after some people allegedly pelted stones and glass bottles at the force when the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was carrying out a court-mandated demolition on land adjoining the mosque and a nearby graveyard. The police said an FIR has been registered in the matter and five people detained for questioning. Sood said some commercial establishments had illegally come up around the mosque, against which action was being taken in compliance with the directions of the court. "Obstructing or disrupting work being carried out within the framework of law is completely unacceptable," he said. Certain "criminal and mischievous elements" resorted to demonstrations and violence, which cannot be tolerated, he said, adding t

SC urges Centre, Delhi govt to set up special court for ISIS-linked case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre and the Delhi government to consider setting up a special court to conduct a day-to-day trial in a 2021 case probed by the National Investigation Agency related to the ISIS links of a person. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing the bail plea of Md Heydaitullah who allegedly used Telegram groups to propagate the ideology of the terrorist group in India and recruit other persons. The CJI said that inordinate delay in trial gives to legitimate submissions on behalf of the accused that he cannot be kept in custody for a longer period of time, that too without the trial. The bench asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the government and the NIA, to apprise it within a week about the setting up of the special court here to conduct a day-to-day trial in the case in which 125 witnesses are to be examined. Earlier, the top court had, in a separate case, pulled up the Cen

4 new bus depots ready as Delhi govt pushes for all-EV fleet by year-end

Four new bus depots are set to be inaugurated in Delhi as part of the government's plan to transition the entire public transport fleet to electric buses by the end of this year, officials said. A Transport Department official said construction work at the depots in Nangloi, Dwarka, Kohat Enclave and Rithala has been completed, and they are ready to be handed over. The depots are being prepared to park the new electric buses expected to arrive in the coming months and to support the charging infrastructure. The Delhi government has inducted over 3,500 electric buses in recent months, and the fleet is expected to expand to about 8,000 buses by the end of the year, the official said. The expansion will require additional parking space and charging facilities to support the growing electric bus fleet, officials added. At present, the city has more than 10 dedicated electric bus depots, including facilities at Rohini Sector 37, Rajghat, Nehru Place, Wazirpur, Burari, Mundela Kalan, ..

Delhi CM, transport minister meet six automakers on EV Policy 2.0

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh met six automakers to discuss EV Policy 2.0, focusing on incentives, charging infrastructure and grid adaptability

Stray dogs issue: FIR filed after govt complaint over misinformation by AAP

Delhi Police on Friday has registered an FIR following a complaint by the Directorate of Education into the alleged misinformation being spread on social media over a circular to appoint nodal officers for matters related to stray dogs. Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood said the government decided to act against the "false information" being spread on the issue by Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. Accordingly, the Directorate of Education (DoE) filed a formal complaint with the police, demanding legal action into the matter. The FIR has been registered under Sections 353 (1) (making, publishing or circulating any statement, false information, rumour, or report, including through electronic means) and 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot, if rioting be committed) of the BNS. Addressing a press conference, Sood said Kejriwal had earlier posted a message on social media claiming that Delhi's teachers were being asked to count stray dogs instea

EV Policy 2.0: Delhi govt to meet five auto companies, Siam on Jan 2

Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh has called a January 2 meeting with five automakers and SIAM on the draft EV Policy 2.0, even as broader consultations continue

Delhi govt sets up expert committee to tackle capital's hazardous air

The Delhi government has constituted an expert committee to provide independent ideas, suggestions and solutions to tackle the capital's chronic air quality crisis, officials said on Monday. The committee is key to the government's five-pronged pollution-control strategy, which focuses on innovation, scientific management of dust and solid waste, action against polluting industries, reduction of vehicular emissions, and long-term efforts to make Delhi greener and healthier. Officials said the move marks a departure from earlier approaches that relied largely on regulatory orders without structured expert consultation. To ensure faster execution of pollution-related decisions, the government has also set up the Implementation Committee on Control of Air Pollution (ICCAP), aimed at translating expert recommendations and government schemes into effective on-ground action. According to officials, the Special Expert Committee comprises 11 members, including former secretaries, former ..

Delhi govt asks schools to appoint nodal officers for stray dog matters

The Delhi government has directed educational institutions, including schools, to nominate nodal officers for matters related to stray dogs and submit their details to the Directorate of Education. Teachers' associations, however, have opposed the move, questioning why departments responsible for animal welfare are not handling the issue. In a circular, the Directorate of Education's (DoE's) Caretaking Branch said district education officers (DDEs) must compile details of nodal officers, including name, designation, contact number and email ID for all schools, stadiums and sports complexes under their jurisdiction and send the consolidated information to the directorate. The DoE stated that replies being received from individual schools were not required, and clarified that only district-level compiled reports would be accepted. The information will be forwarded to the office of the Delhi chief secretary. Nodal officers will act as the point of contact for stray dog-related issues,

Rekha Gupta govt to enter 2026 with several key poll promises pending

The BJP, which returned to power in Delhi after 27 years, ends 2025 with parts of its poll promises fulfilled, leaving Chief Minister Rekha Gupta with her work cut out for many months to come. After ending the decade-long AAP rule earlier in the year, the BJP-led dispensation moved quickly to roll out the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme in the capital. The recent launch of Atal Canteen offering subsidised meals to construction workers, daily wagers, and slum-dwellers at Rs 5 is another poll promise that has been fulfilled. At the same time, the chief minister acknowledged that several headline poll commitments remain on the drawing board. Among the most closely watched promises is the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, under which the BJP pledged a monthly assistance of Rs 2,500 to economically weaker women. LPG cylinders at Rs 500 and two free refills annually, during Holi and Diwali, are still hankered after by the city residents. Governance outreach was something that the Gupta

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta inaugurates Atal Canteens, announces welfare plans

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday paid tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth centenary, and announced that "Atal Canteens" are being inaugurated to provide subsidised meals to the poor. Speaking at the inauguration event, Gupta said 45 Atal Canteens are being inaugurated in line with the government's election promise, while work on the remaining 55 will be completed soon. "Under the scheme, labourers, needy people and families living in jhuggi clusters will get a full meal for Rs 5. The idea is to ensure that people eat with dignity," she said, adding that lakhs of residents would benefit from the initiative. Recalling Vajpayee's contribution to Delhi's infrastructure, the chief minister said the former prime minister flagged off the Delhi Metro on December 24, 2002, when Kolkata was the only city with a metro system. She said the capital now has a 394-km metro network, which was expanded further under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gupta als

'No PUC, no fuel' policy to continue after Grap-IV is lifted: Delhi govt

Delhi's Environment Minister Manjinder Singh said that approval has also been granted for four new vehicle emission testing centres, along with permission to open additional testing facilities