Page 46 - Delhi Government

Delhi's governance model has been put on the ventilator: BJP attacks AAP

Addressing a press conference, Lekhi said that Delhi's governance model has been put on the ventilator

Delhi govt utilised taxpayers' money to prioritise education: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said his government is utilising the taxpayers money to prioritise education, adding the students should make the country proud. He made the remark while addressing the students at the inauguration of a government school building in Pashchim Vihar. "When we (AAP) came to power, we doubled the budget for education. But it was not possible to build all these schools without the support of Delhi residents. It is the taxpayers money which has helped us to provide free education," Kejriwal said. "When you grow up and achieve something in life, remember the country paid for your education," he added. The chief minister said even if he dies he will be satisfied to have worked for the education of the kids from poor families. Kejriwal said he is doing a virtuous deed to provide free education to the children from poor backgrounds. The chief minister inaugurated the newly built building of Dr BR Ambedkar School of Specialized Excellence A6 i

BJP-led Centre trying to scare AAP leaders by conducting ED raids: Atishi

Delhi minister and senior AAP leader Atishi on Tuesday said the BJP-led Centre is trying to "scare and silence" the party by conducting ED raids on its leaders. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) searched the premises of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's personal secretary Bibhav Kumar and AAP Rajya Sabha MP and party's treasurer ND Gupta as part of a money laundering case, official sources said. Atishi said raids were being conducted by the ED at the premises of Kumar and Gupta since 7 am. More raids on the premises of other AAP leaders are to be conducted throughout the day, she claimed. The minister also alleged that the statements of witnesses and accused related to the excise policy case were extracted by the probe agency by force and threat. She alleged the BJP-led Centre using ED to "scare and silence" AAP by conducting raids on its leaders. Despite two years of probe, nothing has been found by the agencies in the alleged excise policy scam, she said. About 10 premises

Just 6 CT scan machines in Delhi govt hospitals for 30 mn people, HC notes

Delhi High Court on Monday expressed anguish that there are only six CT scan machines in all Delhi government hospitals for three crore citizens and stressed the need to ramp up infrastructure and fill vacancies in the health sector. The high court pointed out that people are losing lives because they are not being attended to at government hospitals due to a shortage of facilities and staff. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora noted that Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, in a status report, has admitted that there are a lot of shortcomings, including shortage of doctors, paramedics and medicines, and also given his suggestions. Bharadwaj, who inspected several government hospitals, claimed that whenever he convened meetings with hospital staff, Delhi Health Secretary SB Deepak Kumar remained absent. However, Kumar, who was present in the court, denied the allegations and said he attended all the meetings. "I have accompanied the minister in vari

Delhi govt sanctions Rs 280 cr towards pensions of retired DTC employees

The Delhi government has sanctioned around Rs 280 crore for payment of pensions to more than 20,000 retired employees of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) pending from September to January. The retired DTC employees had approached the government multiple times for the release of their pensions. "About Rs 280 crore has been sanctioned for payment of pending pension of more than 20,000 retired pensioner employees of DTC from September to January. The pending pension will be transferred to the pensioners' accounts within the next two to three days," Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said in a post on 'X' in Hindi. The Delhi government's finance department released grants of Rs 650 crore to the DTC last week, officials said.

Delhi High Court upholds summons against Kejriwal in defamation case

The Delhi High Court on Monday upheld summons issued to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as an accused in a criminal defamation case for retweeting an allegedly defamatory video circulated by YouTuber Dhruv Rathee in May 2018, saying that reposting alleged libelous content will attract defamation law. The high court said a sense of responsibility has to be attached while retweeting content about which one does not have knowledge and added that retweeting of defamatory content must invite penal, civil as well as tort action if the person retweeting it does not attach a disclaimer. This court is of the view that rigours of Section 499 (defamation) of IPC will be attracted prima facie in case a person retweets/ reposts the alleged defamatory remarks or content, for the purpose of the general public to see, appreciate and believe, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said. The high court, while refusing to quash the trial court's 2019 order summoning Kejriwal, said when a public figure tweets a .

Delhi govt to offer free travel for third gender in DTC, cluster buses

The Delhi government is planning to offer free travel to people belonging to the third gender in DTC and cluster buses, officials said on Monday. Women are already provided free travel on these buses in the national capital. The free travel scheme for women began in October 2019. "Women are already provided free travel in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses operated by the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Limited (DIMTS). We plan to extend the facility of free travel to people from the third gender too," a senior transport department official said. The official said that the social welfare department of the Delhi government has data on people belonging to the third gender in Delhi which will prove helpful for the scheme. Those looking to avail the benefit of this scheme will have to furnish certificates issued by the revenue department, the official said. In April last year, the Delhi High Court asked the city government to decide on a representation to

Delhi schools to resume normal timings from Feb 6 amid weather improvement

Schools in Delhi have been directed to resume normal timings from Tuesday following an improvement in the national capital's weather conditions, according to an official order. Delhi schools were commencing classes from 9 am due to cold weather conditions, following a circular from the Delhi government's Directorate of Education (DoE) last month. The DoE had also directed the schools not to hold classes beyond 5 pm. In an order issued on Monday, the DoE said, "In view of the improved weather conditions in Delhi, all government, government-aided and recognised private schools of Delhi shall resume their full normal timings with effect from Tuesday." The order directed the heads of schools to inform students, parents and staff about the change in timings well in time through suitable means of communication. Earlier, winter vacations in city schools were extended from January 6 to 12 for primary students due to the coldwave conditions. Delhi on Monday recorded a minimum temperature

Raja Harishchandra would be ashamed of Kejriwal, says Giriraj Singh

The AAP and the BJP are at loggerheads over the AAP's "poaching" allegations against the BJP and the saffron party's corruption charges on the Arvind Kejriwal-led party

Kejriwal writes to Delhi LG; urges to remove health, finance secretaries

Earlier on Saturday, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena wrote to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressing his "deep disappointment and concern" with regard to the "pathetic state" of hospitals

Police notice over MLA poaching allegation does not mention FIR: Atishi

Delhi Minister Atishi on Sunday said the notice served to her by the city police in connection with the MLA poaching allegation made by her does not have any mention of an FIR or include penal provisions. She said at a press conference that they have sympathy for the Crime Branch officers who are being forced by their "political bosses" to indulge in such "theatrics". "Yesterday (Saturday), the Delhi Police's Crime Branch served a notice to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Today, they served a notice to me. However, the notice does not have any mention of an FIR. It does not even include any section of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) or CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) or PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) or Prevention of Corruption Act," she said. A team of the Delhi Police's Crime Branch on Sunday visited Atishi's home and served her a notice in connection with an allegation that the BJP was attempting to "poach" AAP MLAs. Police sources said the Delhi minister's staff

Govt's developmental works won't stop even if I am jailed: CM Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said the ongoing developmental works of the Delhi government like building schools and providing free treatment to the people will not stop even if he was sent to jail. Laying the foundation stone of two school buildings at Kirari here, Kejriwal said, "Manish Sisodia was put in jail because he built schools. Satyendar Jain was sent to jail because he built Mohalla clinics." Kejriwal said all central agencies like ED and CBI have been unleashed on them (AAP leaders). "But even if you put Kejriwal in jail, the (ongoing) works of building schools and Mohalla clinics and providing free treatment to the people of Delhi will not stop. The BJP wants us to join their party but we will not bow down," he asserted.

Sympathise with police, they're being made to do drama: CM Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday reacted to the police's attempts to serve him a notice over his MLA poaching charge against the BJP, saying he sympathised with the police who were being made to indulge in "drama" by their "political bosses" instead of preventing crime in the city. Drama unfolded at Kejriwal's official residence in Civil Lines Saturday morning as a crime branch team of the Delhi Police arrived to serve him a notice to join a probe over his claim that the BJP was trying to poach AAP MLAs. Sharing a video of some policemen at his residence, Kejriwal posted on X that he sympathised with the police officers sent to serve him notice and added "it's their duty to stop crime in Delhi but they are being made to indulge in drama. That is why crime is rising in Delhi." He also said in the post, without naming any party or leader, that the "political bosses" are asking him which AAP MLAs were contacted for switching sides. In an apparent swipe at the BJP, he .

65,000 'ghost patients' underwent tests at Mohalla clinics in Delhi: ACB

A preliminary inquiry by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government has revealed that 65000 ghost patients underwent pathological tests at the Mohalla clinics through private labs during 11 months of 2023, officials said on Saturday. Two private labs conducted nearly 22 lakh tests during February-December, 2023, out of which 65000 were found to be fake, they said. The labs were paid Rs 4.63 crore by the government for the tests conducted by them, they said. Last month, Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the reports of irregularities in lab tests conducted at the Mohalla clinics. The ministry of home affairs has directed the CBI to undertake investigation in the matter. The private labs conducted tests allegedly on ghost patients who never visited any Mohalla Clinic, claimed an ACB official. "It also emerged that the Lab Management Information System (LIMS), containing the name and mobile number of the patients, was also developed, operated and

Delhi excise policy case: Court allows Sanjay Singh to take oath in custody

ED earlier told the court that Sanjay Singh was part of the conspiracy to collect kickbacks from liquor groups in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22

Excise policy case: Delhi CM Kejriwal to skip ED summons for fifth time

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday for questioning in an alleged money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy, according to the AAP. The ED on Wednesday had issued a fresh and the fifth summons to Kejriwal after he skipped four earlier summonses over the last four months. Kejriwal will not appear before the agency for questioning, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said. Terming the summons "illegal", the party said the ED is repeatedly sending notices to Kejriwal to arrest him. The AAP also alleged that the BJP wants to topple its government in Delhi by getting Kejriwal arrested. The AAP will not let this happen, it said. The Delhi chief minister is, however, scheduled to take part in a protest of the AAP outside the BJP headquarters here at 11 am. Kejriwal skipped ED summonses for November 2 and December 21 in 2023 and January 3 and January 18 this year. He had called these notices "illegal". It

Delhi govt alleges step-motherly treatment on Rs 1,168 cr Budget allocation

The Union Territory of Delhi was allocated Rs 1,168 crore in the interim budget for 2024-25 on Thursday, the same as in 2023-24, with the AAP government accusing the BJP-led Centre of meting out "step-motherly" treatment to the national capital. The transfer to Delhi from the Union home ministry included Rs 1,168 crore under the revenue head and Rs 0.01 crore under the capital head. In the 2022-23 budget, Delhi was allocated Rs 960 crore. The amount was increased to Rs 1,168.01 crore in 2023-24 and it remains the same for 2024-25. There were no grants in lieu of its share in central taxes and duties for Delhi. It was Rs 325 crore in the 2022-23 budget. The grants in return of Delhi's share in the pool of central taxes and duties were clubbed under the "central assistance to Union Territories" in the budget estimates of 2023-24 and have remained so in the interim budget for 2024-25. The allocation under central assistance to Delhi in the 2024-25 budget estimates was Rs 951 crore li

NGT seeks response from Centre, Delhi govt on 2023 Yamuna floods

Delhi battled one of its worst flood-like situations in several pockets last year because of heavy rain, with more than 25,000 people being evacuated from the inundated areas

ED issues 5th summons to Kejriwal in excise policy money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a fresh and the fifth summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his questioning in the Delhi excise policy linked money laundering case, official sources said Wednesday. Kejriwal, also the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has skipped four earlier summons issued by the federal agency for January 18 and January 3 and November 2 and December 21 in 2023. He had called these notices "illegal". It is understood that the fresh summons was for February 2. It is alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge repeatedly refuted by the AAP. The policy was subsequently scrapped and Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe, following which the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

440 demolition actions taken in Jan, set to intensify in coming days: MCD

Civic authorities took 440 demolition actions against illegal constructions in January, the MCD said on Tuesday. Besides, 85 sealing actions and 35 actions against illegal plotting were taken during the same period, officials said. In the last couple of months, there have been intermittent bans on construction and demolition activities due to GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) measures to curb pollution levels in the national capital, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said in a statement. "As soon as this phase was over, the MCD immediately swung into action by resuming its demolition and sealing actions against unauthorised constructions," it said. The actions have been conducted in line with the Master Plan - 2021, Unified Building Bye-Laws - 2016, and the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act - 1957, the officials said. The MCD steered the demolition and sealing actions, "majorly targeting illegal plotting or colonisation on agricultural land", it said. "In spite of GRAP-III