Page 25 - Delhi Government

Atishi likely to take oath as Delhi CM on Saturday evening: Report

The swearing-in ceremony of AAP leader Atishi as Delhi chief minister is expected to take place at Raj Niwas on Saturday evening, officials said. The official details of the timing of the oath ceremony are awaited as the process for gazette notification for resignation of outgoing chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, formation of the new government and oath of the new chief minister are still underway, they said. "The oath ceremony is expected to be held late Saturday afternoon or in the evening, after all the formalities are completed," the officials said. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sources claimed that the ceremony may be held around 4.30 pm on Saturday. There was, however, no clarity if Atishi will take oath along with her council of ministers. The swearing-in ceremony is likely to be a low-key affair as the mood in the party is not upbeat because of Kejriwal's resignation and also because of the delay in approvals, leaving little time for preparations, said an AAP leader. After Kejriwa

Delhi govt to unveil Winter Action Plan on Sep 27 to combat air pollution

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Friday the Winter Action Plan to reduce pollution in the city in the coming months with steps like the odd-even scheme and artificial rain will be released on September 27. According to a statement, the government, for the first time, will use drone technology this year to monitor pollution at 13 identified hotspots across Delhi. "The Winter Action Plan, set to be unveiled on September 27, targets pollution hotspots, vehicle and dust pollution, industrial emissions, and introduces innovative emergency measures such as the odd-even vehicle scheme and artificial rain to combat severe pollution spells," it said. The plan, based on 21 key focus points, was prepared following a meeting between the Environment Department and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) that was chaired by Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai at the Secretariat on Friday. "To effectively combat winter pollution, the government has intensified its preparations

Delhi will see power hikes like UP if Kejriwal not elected CM: Atishi

AAP designated Chief Minister Atishi warns of power cuts and high electricity prices like BJP-led UP, without Arvind Kejriwal's leadership

Atishi's task: To expedite pending welfare policies before Delhi polls

When Atishi takes oath as Delhi Chief Minister on September 21, she will enter history books as being only the third woman to accomplish the feat after BJP's Sushma Swaraj and Congress' Sheila Dikshit. Atishi's elevation to the top post comes at a crucial juncture for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is looking to return to power in the Delhi Assembly polls early next year as well as for the government, which will have to fast-track pending policies and schemes for public welfare. The senior leader will have her task cut out after assuming office and will be running against time to ensure implementation of schemes like Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana, Electric Vehicle Policy 2.0 and doorstep delivery of services among others. However, Atishi is not new to rising to such situations. Her induction into the cabinet also happened when the government was going through testing times following the arrest of deputy chief minister and the then Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's trusted

AAP MLA Mukesh Ahlawat to join Delhi Cabinet as Atishi prepares for CM role

AAP leaders Gopal Rai, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Kailash Gahlot, and Imran Hussain will retain their portfolios in the Delhi Cabinet

CM house necessary for Arvind Kejriwal's safety but he will vacate it: AAP

On Tuesday, Arvind Kejriwal resigned from the CM post of Delhi, announcing that Atishi will succeed him. The AAP chief has vowed to return as CM only when people elect him

Arvind Kejriwal resigns as Delhi Chief Minister, Atishi set to take over

Opposition calls her elevation a 'stop-gap'

Arvind Kejriwal: Activist, politician with many surprises up his sleeve

Arvind Kejriwal is a politician who probably likes to catch people unawares. Beset by charges of corruption, the AAP supremo resigned as Delhi chief minister on Tuesday and sought a referendum on his politics of honesty, the second time he has done so in his 11-year political career. Two days after he was released from Tihar Jail in the excise policy graft case, Kejriwal took everyone by complete surprise when he announced on Sunday he would resign as chief minister and return only if people give him a "certificate of honesty" in the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls. Ever the politician with an eye on theatrical effect, he also sought early polls in the city. Clever politics or foolish overreach. The jury will be out on whether Kejrwial played his cards wisely or miscalculated the risk till elections, due in February, are held. But the 55-year-old, who tendered his resignation to Lt Governor V K Saxena on Tuesday after picking senior AAP leader Atishi as his successor in the post, is .

Arvind Kejriwal resigns as Delhi Chief Minister, Atishi to be sworn-in

Aam Aadmi Party has called for Assembly elections in Delhi to be held in November, at the same time as Maharashtra, instead of February when the party's term as state govt ends

Who is Atishi Marlena? Everything about Delhi's new chief minister

AAP leader Atishi Marlena is all set to replace Arvind Kejriwal, who has opted to resign, as Delhi's new chief minister. Read on to know more about the new chief minister of Delhi

Kejriwal to meet Lt Governor at 4:30 pm on Sep 17; likely to resign

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sought time for a meeting with Lt Governor VK Saxena on Tuesday and is likely to tender his resignation, AAP said. The AAP supremo had said he would become chief minister and Manish Sisodia his deputy "only when people say we are honest". "The chief minister has sought time from Saxena for a meeting on Tuesday. He is likely to tender his resignation," the party said on Monday. Days after being released from Tihar jail on bail in the excise policy case, the AAP national convenor said on Sunday that he would resign within 48 hours and sought early polls in Delhi. He vowed not to sit in the chief minister's chair till people gave him a "certificate of honesty". He had said he would hold a meeting of AAP MLAs in a couple of days and a party leader would take over as chief minister.

Who will succeed Kejriwal as Delhi CM?; Buzz over early polls. 10 updates

Arvind Kejriwal has announced that he will resign and return only after receiving a 'certificate of honesty' from the public, triggering a buzz over his potential successor and AAP's next move

SC grants bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in liquor policy 'scam' case

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Friday in the Delhi liquor policy scam linked to money laundering and corruption probes. Earlier, Manish Sisodia was also granted bail

Will Arvind Kejriwal walk out of Tihar today? SC verdict on 2 pleas likely

Delhi liquor policy case: Arvind Kejriwal might receive interim bail from the Supreme Court on Friday. The court is also likely to pronounce verdict on his plea challenging the arrest by CBI

Delhi proposes 50% cut on fines for traffic violations settled in 90 days

A 50 per cent discount will apply to outstanding fines if paid within 90 days, while new offences must be settled within 30 days once the law comes into effect

Delhi govt plans proposal for transitioning Gramin Seva autos to EVs

The Delhi government is planning to inject a new lease of life into the Gramin Seva autos by issuing guidelines to ensure their transition to electric vehicles, officials said. Launched in 2010, the Gramin Seva is a para-transit scheme wherein high capacity three-wheelers with a seating capacity of six passengers were given permits to ply in the rural areas, unauthorised, resettlement colonies and the JJ clusters of Delhi. "These vehicles are an important means of last-mile connectivity in rural areas. We have received representations from their union requesting us to issue guidelines for ensuring their transition into electric vehicles. The union has held meetings with the Transport Department officials and urged them to take steps to inject a new life into the services," said an official. According to the officials, there were around 6,000 registered Gramin Seva autos. However, many of them have gone off roads with the passage of time. At present, there are around 2,000 to 3,000 .

Delhi govt to give free bio-decomposer spray to combat stubble burning

Development Minister Gopal Rai has announced the Delhi government's initiative to provide free bio-decomposer spray across over 5,000 acres of farmland to reduce pollution and promote sustainable agricultural practices. Following a high-level meeting with the Agriculture Department and experts from the Pusa Agricultural Research Institute, Rai said the government is making every effort to ensure the timely and effective spraying of bio-decomposer. "So far, 841 farmers have signed up for the programme, and the numbers are expected to rise as awareness campaigns are carried out across farming communities," Rai said. "In our efforts to curb the seasonal rise in pollution due to stubble burning, the Kejriwal government is committed to providing free bio-decomposer spray as we did last year. This year, we will cover over 5,000 acres of farmland," the minister said. He added, "Stubble burning has been included as a key focus area in this year's Winter Action Plan. By spraying ...

Delhi govt bans production, sale, use of firecrackers till January 1

The Delhi government on Monday banned the production, sale and use of firecrackers in the national capital to control air pollution in the coming winter season. Environment Minister Gopal Rai said in a statement that the ban also covers online sale and delivery of firecrackers. An action plan will be prepared in collaboration with Delhi Police, Delhi Pollution Control Committee and the Revenue Department to strictly implement the ban, he added. "The ban on the production, storage, sale and use of firecrackers will remain in force till January 1, 2025 ," Rai said in the statement. This is a part of the Delhi government's winter action plan based on 21 focus points to control pollution, he said.

Delhi govt to expand mental health counseling services to all govt schools

The Delhi government on Friday directed the government schools to conduct mental-health check-ups of the students for their well-being by introducing comprehensive counseling services, according to an official statement. Delhi Education Minister Atishi instructed the Directorate of Education (DoE) to draft a blueprint for the initiative following the success of a pilot phase that provided counseling to over 20,000 students across 20 schools, said the statement. Atishi directed the DoE to prepare a blueprint for expanding counseling services to all government schools here, ensuring timely support for the students' mental health needs, it said. She said that the pilot phase ran for a year in which the Educational and Vocational Guidance Counselors (EVGC) and school psychologists worked with the students to maintain their mental health, said the statement. Atishi mentioned that group sessions and social-emotional learning programs helped the students manage stress and stay emotionally

Premium buses to help in reducing air pollution: Delhi minister Gahlot

Delhiites will soon be able make online booking of seats up to one week in advance in a premium AC electric buses, track the live location and route of the bus, view its expected time of arrival and make cashless payments. Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Wednesday inspected the first lot of buses launched under the Delhi Motor Vehicles Licensing of Aggregator (Premium Buses) Scheme 2023, which aims to combat pollution and enhance public transport in the national capital. Gahlot even drove a bus around the Rajghat depot during his inspection. The buses are part of Uber Shuttle, the latest app-based service offered by the multinational ride-hailing company. "The Delhi Premium Bus Scheme was designed not only to make public transport more comfortable and attractive but also to reduce air pollution by encouraging a shift from private vehicles to eco-friendly public transport options. The introduction of Uber Shuttle under the scheme marks a new era in urban transportation for