Page 22 - Delhi Government

AAP questions Sarai Kale Khan renaming as 'Bhagwan Birsa Munda Chowk'

Raises concerns whether it is vetted by road naming authority; Union government calls name change 'symbolic gesture' for tribal community

LG asks Delhi Police to launch identification drive for illegal immigrants

All government agencies should ensure that no unauthorised occupation of public places takes place anywhere in the city as directed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, it added

Delhi gasps as air quality remains hazardous; govt tightens Grap III curbs

Delhi government enforces a ban on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers under Grap-III from Friday, violators will face fine up to Rs 20,000

Delhi govt to reinstate bus marshals to ensure safety of women, elders

The proposal will be forwarded to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena urging to make the appointments permanent

Delhi HC directs GNCTD to enable online registration of Muslim marriages

In its order, the bench of Justice Sanjeev Narula also instructed the Chief Secretary of GNCTD to personally oversee the implementation of directive

SC agrees to hear plea seeking to restrain felling of trees in Delhi

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea seeking to restrain the Delhi government from allowing felling of trees in the national capital without the apex court's permission. The application, which stated that five trees are felled in Delhi every hour, also sought to restrain the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change from permitting diversion of forests in Delhi without the top court's nod. The matter came up for hearing before a bench of Justices A S Oka and A G Masih on Friday. The court asked the Delhi government and others to respond to the application by November 22. The application has also sought the constitution of an expert committee, headed by a retired judge of the SC or the Delhi High Court, to assess the tree protection regimen in the national capital. A report containing its recommendation for the protection and preservation of existing trees and forests in Delhi should be submitted by the committee before the apex court, it said. The application

Delhi govt tests drone-based mist spraying to combat air pollution

To curb rising air pollution in the national capital, the Delhi government on Friday conducted a testing of 'drone-based mist spraying' at Anand Vihar, one of the city's pollution hotspots. During the demonstration, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said that pollution levels in the hotspots are higher than the average AQI in the capital. "Today's demonstration in Anand Vihar -- a known pollution hotspot -- aims to address this issue," Rai said. Currently, more than 200 anti-smog guns are deployed across Delhi, spraying water along the roads to reduce airborne dust, he added. "However, areas with narrow roadsides or congested spots where trucks cannot reach pose unique challenges. This is where drones can be particularly effective," he said. The minister added that if the trial proves successful, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) may consider acquiring more drones for widespread deployment. "If we get promising results of today's testing, we will move forward with f

AQI having 'good days' increased, specific action taken: Delhi govt to NGT

The Delhi government has submitted an action taken report on air pollution to the National Green Tribunal, saying the air quality index showing "good days" between January and October in the city increased from 157 in 2018 to 201 in 2024. Good days are a cumulative of days where the AQI has been recorded as good, satisfactory and moderate. The report said "specific mitigation action" was being taken at the 13 pollution hotspots in Delhi. On October 24, the NGT while hearing the matter regarding the deteriorating air quality in the national capital, necessitating the invoking of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), directed the Delhi government to file its report. "With consistent efforts from stakeholder departments, good days have increased from 157 in 2018 to 206 in 2023 from January to October. This year till October 29, there have been 201 good days," said the report submitted on Monday. It said a 21-point winter action plan with around 30 government stakeholder departments

SC raps Delhi govt over pollution; says firecracker ban hardly implemented

The Supreme Court has demanded explanations from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the Delhi police regarding the failure to enforce the ban

Delhi govt declares public holiday on Nov 7 for Chhath Puja celebrations

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Friday declared a public holiday on November 7 for Chhath Puja celebrations. The announcement came hours after Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena wrote to the chief minister requesting her to declare a holiday on November 7. Chhath is a major Hindu festival celebrated in the state of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Making the announcement on X, Atishi wrote, "I am happy to inform you that the Delhi government has decided to declare a holiday on November 7 for the festival of Chhath, so that all our brothers and sisters of Purvanchal can celebrate the festival with pomp and show." She also shared her signed order regarding the decision. "Chhath Puja is an important festival for the people of NCT of Delhi. Accordingly, the Government of NCT of Delhi has decided to declare November 7, 2024, as a public holiday on account of 'Chhat Puja," the order read. Earlier in the day, the Raj Niwas Delhi said in a post on X, "Hon'ble Lt Governor has written to

Delhi govt seizes over 19k kg of firecrackers, files 79 cases before Diwali

Earlier on Monday, Gopal Rai launched the 'Diya Jalao, Patake Nahi' campaign, urging the public to avoid firecrackers to keep pollution in check

PM hits out at Delhi, WB govt for not implementing Ayushman Bharat scheme

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at Delhi and West Bengal governments on Tuesday for not implementing the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme due to "political interests" and said he was pained that the elderly in these places cannot avail free treatment under the expanded programme. The prime minister on Tuesday extended his government's flagship health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above. "I apologise to all the elderly aged 70 and above in Delhi and West Bengal that I cannot serve them. I would get to know about your pains and sufferings but I won't be able to help you," Modi said. "The reason is that the governments in Delhi and West Bengal are not joining the scheme due to their political interests," he stated, adding the tendency to be oppressive against the sick people of one's own state for political interests does not align with the idea of humanity. People aged above 70 will get free treatment in hospitals and they will

Delhi BJP sets up stage at polluted Yamuna ghat to protest against AAP govt

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva further stated, 'They should give an account of Rs 8,500 crores that was given by the Central government to clean the Yamuna'

Delhi to provide Rs 5,000 monthly assistance to specially-abled persons

Addressing the press conference, Bharadwaj said that the specially-abled person with over 60 per cent disability will be eligible for financial assistance

Lifelong aid scheme for acid attack survivors in work: Delhi govt

The Delhi government is working on schemes to provide lifelong financial assistance to acid attack survivors for medical procedures, and subsidised transport facilities to school students with benchmark disabilities, officials said on Thursday. The government has also prepared a cabinet note on an assistance scheme for persons with benchmark disabilities who have high support needs, to engage care givers, they said. A person is said to have a benchmark disability if the disability level is 40 per cent or higher. In a recent meeting chaired by Social Welfare Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, officers of the department informed him that a draft scheme of transport subsidy for Delhi school students with benchmark disabilities is under final stages of development, the officials said. It will be soon placed before the minister for his approval, they said. During the meeting, Bharadwaj pointed out that under the current welfare scheme, acid attack survivors are eligible for monthly disability

Electronic DLs, registration certificates may replace smart cards in Delhi

Delhi government is considering to replace the current smart card system on driving licenses and registration certificates with electronic versions that could be downloaded like Aadhaar cards, officials said on Wednesday. The new move would allow citizens to download and print their e-DL and e-RC in a format similar to the Aadhaar Card, featuring a unique ID and QR code that could be used by traffic police for verification, they said. A senior official of the Delhi Transport department said that the electronic documents could either be printed or accessed via apps like DigiLocker or mParivahan, offering citizens a convenient way to present their documents when required. In 2023-24, Delhi's transport department issued 1.6 lakh licenses and 6.69 lakh RCs as of May this year, and under the new plan, only e-DLs and e-RCs would be issued, he added. The downloadable PDF format, available on the Parivahan Sewa portal, would include a QR code to confirm authenticity, and links would also b

Delhi CM to chair meeting of top officials to review air pollution today

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi will chair a high-level meeting regarding the pollution situation at the Delhi Secretariat today, Delhi CMO said."Delhi CM Atishi to chair a high-level meeting today regarding the pollution situation, at the Delhi Secretariat. Environment Minister Gopal Rai will also attend this meeting," Delhi Chief Minister's Office said.Delhi's average Air Quality Index (AQI) hit the 'Poor' category at 224 on Sunday as per the 4 pm AQI bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).Stage-I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was implemented in Delhi on Monday. Under Stage-I, actions include ensuring proper implementation of dust mitigation measures in construction and demolition (C & D) activities and effective environmental management of C & D waste.Earlier on Monday, Delhi's Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced a ban on the production, storage, distribution, and use of firecrackers in the city until January 1."We have imposed a ban on

Less than 1.7 mn Delhi citizen have zero power bills, 70% pay Rs 500-2000

The number of people getting zero electricity bills in Delhi is below 17 lakh and 70 per cent of the total 59 lakh domestic consumers pay monthly bills ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 2000, official sources claimed on Monday. Meanwhile, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) asserted that its government in Delhi is the first in the country to provide free 200 units of electricity per month and fifty per cent subsidy on monthly consumption of 400 units. The AAP, in a statement, alleged that the BJP wanted to stall the Delhi government's free electricity scheme by pressurising officers. A Delhi BJP spokesperson, on the other hand, accused the AAP of trying to "mislead " Delhiites on the power subsidy scheme and the issue of rising electricity bills. The official sources, citing power department data, claimed that over 70 per cent of Delhi's people pay electricity bills, out of which about 40 per cent pay monthly bills of more than Rs 2000, 14 per cent pay in the Rs 1000-2000 range and nearly 11

MCD commissioner now holds financial powers for waste management contracts

The Delhi government on Monday issued an order delegating the financial powers of the Standing Committee to MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar, allowing him to approve proposals requiring expenditures of Rs 5 crore and above for various municipal solid waste management contracts. A political slugfest erupted between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Lt Governor's office over the issue as both accused the other of delaying the passage of the order. The move comes amid a political deadlock between the ruling AAP and opposition BJP in the MCD over the constitution of the Standing Committee, the highest decision-making body of the civic body, which otherwise had the authority to approve contracts exceeding Rs 5 crore. The formation of the Standing Committee has been delayed for over 19 months and the matter is currently in the court. According to the order issued by the urban development department, the Delhi government has exercised its powers under Section 202(c) of the Delhi Municipal ...

Delhi govt releases Rs 100 cr for 12 Delhi University colleges funded by it

The Delhi government has released around Rs 100 crore for 12 DU colleges funded by it, the party said on Sunday. The AAP government has made a budgetary provision of approximately Rs 400 crore for the colleges for the financial year 2024-25, it said, adding that the latest fund is for the third quarter. In a statement, the party said since the AAP came to power in Delhi, the budget allocated to these colleges has increased more than threefold, showcasing the government's commitment to education. Chief Minister Atishi said, Under the guidance of Arvind Kejriwal, education has always been the top priority for the AAP government. Since the formation of Kejriwal's government in Delhi, the largest share of the budget has been dedicated to education every year." The Delhi government has focused on higher education by opening three new universities and expanding the existing ones. The 12 fully funded Delhi University colleges play a crucial role in higher education in Delhi, she ...