Move was put in place after Delhi saw a fall in sex ratio at birth for 4th straight year, with officials fearing a return of prenatal gender testing
The Delhi government will credit honorarium to nearly 40,000 beneficiaries under its Ladli scheme on October 1, an official said on Tuesday. The move is part of the ongoing Seva Pakhwada (service fortnight) to celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 75th birthday. "The transfers will be made in a single click at an event to be held at Talkatora Stadium, where Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are expected to participate," the official said. Earlier this year, the Women and Child Development department initiated a district-wise drive to identify Ladli Yojana beneficiaries who have not claimed their entitled payments. Many children change districts for schooling but do not renew their registration under the scheme, often due to a lack of awareness. Others discontinue their education midway, further complicating the renewal process, according to the department. "To address this, officials overseeing the scheme in Delhi's 11 districts were ...
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday said her government has permitted cultural events like Ramleela and Durga Puja to continue until midnight, asserting that "Ram-rajya should come in Delhi" and for that "we all should work a little." "I always used to say that our Hindu festivals were facing problems. Which Ramleela ends at 10 pm? Durga Puja cannot end at 10 pm. When in Gujarat, Dandiya can go on all night and events can take place throughout the night, then what is the fault of the people of Delhi?" Gupta said. "That is why this time we have given permission till 12 am. All the Ramleela, Durga Puja, and other cultural programmes can take place till midnight now," she added. On Monday, the Delhi government extended the permissible time for the use of loudspeakers and public address systems during Ramleela, Durga Puja, Dussehra, and related events. The relaxation, valid from September 22 to October 3, was approved by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena. The extension pushes the
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has brought down its filming fee from Rs 75,000 to Rs 25,000 for a day, while shooting inside the Delhi Metro can cost up to Rs 3 lakh depending on the location and timing, according to an official. The Public Works Department (PWD) has kept its base charges at Rs 10,000, while locations such as Dilli Haat (INA) and the Garden of Five Senses can now be hired for Rs 80,000 plus GST a day. The Delhi Metro, almost synonymous with the city's identity, remains among the costlier options, with charges ranging between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 3 lakh depending on the line, station and timings of the shoot, an official from the tourism department said. The MCD has slashed its filming fee from Rs 75,000 a day to Rs 15,000 for eight hours and Rs 25,000 plus GST for 24 hours. But despite the revised rates and subsidies promised under the Delhi Film Policy 2022, only 39 shoots have taken place under the scheme in the last three years, government records show. Launche
The Delhi government on Tuesday announced a special financial assistance scheme for caregivers of persons with disabilities requiring high support, aiming to provide them and their families with economic relief and social security. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said eligible persons with disabilities will receive Rs 6,000 every month to cover the cost of caregivers, therapy, assistive devices, counselling, and other essential services. The financial assistance will be credited directly into the beneficiaries' Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. The chief minister said the scheme was approved in a previous Delhi Cabinet meeting and will be inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday. "Persons with disabilities are an integral part of our society and have the right to live with dignity and self-reliance. This scheme will ensure that they and their families do not feel neglected or helpless due to disability," she said. The scheme applies to individu
The Delhi government will soon begin clearing pending electric vehicle (EV) subsidy dues of about Rs 140 crore, officials said on Monday. Transport Minister Pankaj Singh said the department will verify all subsidy applications to address the backlog, which has accumulated over two years. According to an official, the government is also preparing a portal for clearing the pending dues. The development comes in the aftermath of directions by the Delhi High Court. The court on September 3 ordered the Delhi government to take immediate steps to disburse the subsidies promised to customers for buying electric vehicles and said procedural hurdles cannot be used as a pretext to delay payments. A bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhayaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela noted that the government cannot hide behind the fact that the Delhi Electric Vehicles Policy of 2020 does not prescribe a timeline for disbursing the amount. Officials stated that the order will be followed,
The Delhi government plans to offer a 2-3 month period for violators to settle reduced fines, following discussions at a high-level transport department meeting
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday launched Delhi's first "hotline maintenance vehicle" capable of carrying out electrical repairs without requiring a supply shutdown. She announced that similar machines will be deployed across the city. Speaking at the launch of the vehicle in her Shalimar Bagh Assembly constituency, she said the machine, worth Rs 1.5 crore, will ensure that residents face no inconvenience during repairs of electrical faults. "Delhi government plans to have these hotline maintenance vehicles for the entire city," Gupta said. The vehicle has been procured by the Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL), a discom that supplies power in North Delhi. Regarding the ongoing work of shifting overhead electrical lines in Shalimar Bagh, Gupta said her government wants to expand the project in other parts of the city, especially in Chandni Chowk and Sadar Bazar. Delhi Power Minister Ashish Sood, who was present at the launch event, said people had to endure hours
The Delhi government has flagged gaps in water and power availability in 799 schools across the city and directed officials to take urgent measures to address them. A report compiled by the education department, based on data collected from schools through forms, highlighted critical infrastructure issues affecting their daily functioning. According to the report, out of 703 schools connected to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and Municipal Engineering Services, 59 schools reported intermittent water supply while 48 schools reported erratic or no supply at all. These schools are being compelled to rely on tanker services or submersible pumps for their water needs. Additionally, 22 schools were found to be fully tanker-dependent, with four of them having applied for DJB connections, the report stated. The report also found that 10 schools have no water supply. Among them, three are undergoing reconstruction while seven depend on neighbouring schools or tankers. Of these, two schools have
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday announced a series of measures to support Ramleela and Durga pandal committees ahead of the festive season. The measures include free electricity, single-window no-objectionable certificates (NOC) and enhanced civic facilities. After meeting representatives of Ramleela committees, Gupta said the Delhi government will provide 1,200 units of free electricity, while meters will be installed on just 25 per cent security deposit. "This is a welcoming and happy news for all the Ramleela and Durga pandal committees," she said. She further said that public amenities such as toilets, security arrangements, healthcare services, ambulances and fire brigades will be ensured at the venues. The government, to ease administrative hurdles, will issue NOCs for various services through a single-window system, eliminating the need for organisers to approach multiple departments. "The Delhi government will also ensure cleanliness in the grounds. A committ
The Delhi government has invited bids for a comprehensive two-year maintenance contract at Dilli Haat INA, focusing on electrical installations, fans, distribution and LT panel boards, compound lighting, water pumping sets with an estimation of Rs 31,52,472. The initiative is part of the government's efforts to enhance public amenities and offer a hassle-free experience to visitors at one of the city's key cultural and retail hubs, the tender read. The maintenance work will be implemented by the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), which manages Dilli Haat INA with an estimated cost of Rs 31,52,472. It said that the contract covers routine day-to-day maintenance and operational services, including repairs and replacements, excluding certain spare parts which will be provided by the in-charge at the site. killed manpower, including electrical wiremen and helpers, will be deployed in shifts to ensure seamless service delivery at all times, including weeke
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta resumed Jan Sunwai at her camp office on Wednesday morning amid tight security arrangements, a fortnight after she was attacked during the public hearing programme by a man. People from different parts of the city raised their grievances and sought help from the chief minister during the programme, which began at 8 am. Gupta was seated on a chair while people came up before her one by one, submitting their applications and interacting with her through a microphone set up for the purpose. Police personnel, including female security staff, formed an inner ring around the chief minister as she conducted the Jan Sunwai. Proper security arrangements including policemen frisking participants with metal detectors and monitoring the proceedings through CCTV cameras were put in place to prevent any incident. Gupta was attacked by a man from Rajkot (Gujarat) during a Jan Sunwai on August 20 at her camp office, the Mukhya Mantri Jan Sewa Sadan on Raj Niwas
Delhi residents will soon be able to apply for essential documents such as marriage certificates, caste certificates, and driver's licences with only a few taps on WhatsApp messenger
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has issued stern directions for effective 'Jan Sunwai' (public hearing) camps at the district revenue offices, warning disciplinary action against officers skipping the weekly hearings, an official statement said on Tuesday. The chief minister said that addressing problems faced by people of Delhi is the top priority of her government. The Jan Sunwai camps will be made more effective so that they become a channel of direct communication between the government and the people instead of being treated as a mere formality, she said, according to a statement from the chief minister's office (CMO). Officers must understand that their presence is part of their accountability to the public, and it cannot be ignored under any circumstances. After the stern directions from the chief minister, a fresh order has been issued by the divisional commissioner for the mandatory presence of designated officers at these camps, said the statement. Attendance of designat
The proportion of ineligible beneficiaries under PMGKAY is slightly lower at the national level. India has at present 192 million ration cards issued to households
The Centre has withdrawn the Z category CRPF security provided to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, days after she was accorded the cover following an attack on her, official sources said on Monday. Her security has been entrusted to Delhi Police again, they said. Gupta, 51, was attacked by a man on August 20 morning during a 'Jan Sunwai' programme at her camp office in the Civil Lines area, with her office terming the assault a part of a "well-planned conspiracy to kill her". A day later, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) VIP security wing was asked by the Union home ministry to extend its cover to her as part of Z category protection protocol of the Centre. The CRPF cover has been withdrawn and Delhi Police is now providing security to the Delhi CM, sources told PTI. The orders for extending the CRPF cover were to be issued formally by the Centre but there was a change of plan and finally the orders for withdrawal were issued, they said. Delhi Police has arrested two pers
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Sunday that a comprehensive blueprint of the capital's sewer system is being prepared to provide a permanent solution to the problem of waterlogging. Highlighting the city's improved preparedness during this year's monsoon, Gupta said despite Delhi receiving above-normal rainfall in August, residents did not face a severe waterlogging crisis. "While waterlogging did occur in some areas, the situation in most localities returned to normal within half an hour to an hour owing to the efficiency of the departments concerned," she said. The chief minister said serious waterlogging was not witnessed this time at the city's known "super-black spots", such as the Minto Road bridge, ITO Chowk, Zakhira Underpass and Anand Vihar. "Even after continuous rainfall for two days, Delhi's traffic and civic life remained normal," she added. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi has recorded more than 254.8 mm of rainfall so far in Augu
All four waste-to-energy plants in Delhi located at Okhla, Ghazipur, Bawana and Tehkhand are largely compliant with regulatory norms and pose minimal risk to public health and the environment, according to a joint report by the Central Pollution Control Board and Delhi Pollution Control Committee. The report, filed before the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal, says all four plants operate with pre-processing facilities that raise the calorific value of waste above 1,500 kilocalories per kilogram, in line with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Stack emissions, including suspended particulate matter and heavy metals like nickel, meet stipulated standards, though dioxin, furan and cadmium plus thallium levels exceed norms at Bawana. However, the estimated incremental cancer risk from dioxin emissions, even at that facility, remains well below the one-in-a-million threshold recognised by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Ambient air quality monitoring
The Delhi BNSS (Service of Summons and Warrants) Rules, 2025, have been notified by the city government, paving the way for electronic delivery of court summons and warrants through WhatsApp and e-mail, officials said on Saturday. The move will save time and ensure prompt delivery of the summons, they said. The notification, issued by the home department of Delhi government, was earlier approved by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, officials said. The provision of electronic delivery will free the police force from paperwork and clerical duties, thereby strengthening their policing activities and investigations, said a senior government official. Now, the summons issued by the courts will be generated electronically and carry the digital seal and signature of the judge concerned. Police will then communicate it to the person concerned through e-mail or WhatsApp. According to the Rules, the courts may direct for physical delivery of the summons if the electronic delivery fails or the
The Delhi High Court on Friday sought responses from the Centre and Delhi government on a plea for release filed by convict Vikas Yadav in the 2002 Nitish Katara murder case. Yadav, 54, who has been in jail for over 23 years, also sought interim bail on the ground that his marriage was fixed for September 5 and he had to arrange the fine amount of Rs 54 lakh which was imposed on him at the time of sentencing. Justice Ravinder Dudeja issued notice to central ministries of home affairs, law and justice and the Delhi government and Nitish Katara's mother Nilam Katara on his plea. The court posted the matter for September 2, after Yadav's counsel sought an early date owing to his marriage. The plea raises the issue of denying him the benefits of statutory remission under the provisions of the CrPC while sentencing him for a fixed term of 25 years on February 6, 2015. He sought his release from jail and permission to apply for remission from the authorities concerned. His counsel said