Page 60 - Delhi Government

Delhi govt reshuffle: Atishi gets revenue, planning, finance after L-G nod

Delhi minister Atishi has been given the additional charge of Revenue, Planning and Finance departments following LG V K Saxena's nod to the cabinet reshuffle proposal, officials said on Friday. The three departments were earlier with minister Kailash Gahlot. With the additional charge, Atishi, who also holds the distinction of being the only woman minister in the cabinet, will now hold 12 portfolios, the highest among all ministers. "Delhi LG VK Saxena has approved the proposal and the file reached the government," said the official. A row had erupted over the cabinet reshuffle issue on Thursday with government officials claiming that the file pertaining to it was lying with the Lt Governor for four days, a charge denied by the latter's office. Atishi along with Saurabh Bharadwaj was inducted into the cabinet following the resignation of Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain after their arrest. While Sisodia was arrested in connection with excise policy case, Jain was arrested last

AAP appoints Rajinder Nagar MLA Durgesh Pathak as party in-charge for MCD

The AAP on Thursday appointed senior leader and Rajinder Nagar MLA Durgesh Pathak as the party's in-charge for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). An order to this effect was issued by AAP national general secretary (organisation) Sandeep Pathak. "The party hereby announces Durgesh Pathak as the MCD 'Prabhari' for the state of Delhi. We wish him all the very best for his new responsibility," Pathak said in the order, a copy of which was shared by the AAP on Twitter. Pathak was the election in-charge for MCD polls and Rajinder Nagar assembly bypoll last year. He was also AAP's co-convenor during the 2015 Delhi assembly polls and the co-incharge for the 2017 Punjab assembly elections.

L-G Saxena holding onto cabinet reshuffle file, claims Delhi AAP govt

The file relating to the cabinet reshuffle in the AAP dispensation has been lying with Delhi LG V K Saxena for the last four days waiting to be signed, a government source said on Thursday. "The file to approve these changes has been with the Lt Governor for last four days. His predecessor, Anil Baijal, used to approve such files within half an hour," the source said, adding the reshuffle is going to be a major one. All the same, sources from the LG office denied the allegation and said the file was signed on Wednesday and sent to the government. There have already been a number or shuffles in the ministerial posts in the last few months in the Delhi government. Following the resignations of Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, who both are in jail in the alleged excise policy scam, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi were sworn in as ministers in March this year.

Don't insult hard-working people of Delhi: Kejriwal to LG on freebies

Hitting out at Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena over his remarks on "freebies", Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asked him not to "insult" the "hard-working people" of the national capital. On Wednesday, Saxena said people of Delhi are now "used to freebies" at an event titled 'Delhi 2041 - New Master Plan' organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Saxena's remarks seem to be directed at the Aam Aadmi Party government's subsidies, primarily on water and electricity. Reacting to Saxena's remarks, Kejriwal said Saxena was an outsider and did not understand the people of Delhi. "The people of Delhi are hardworking. They have beautified Delhi by their hard work. LG sir, you have come from outside and you do not understand Delhi and Delhiites. Don't insult the people of Delhi like this," he said in a tweet in Hindi. The chief minister also said the Delhi government, unlike others, does not indulge in "theft". "We save money and provide facilities to people. What is your .

Delhi govt's EV transition targets may cause significant disruptions: IAMAI

Earlier this week over 1,500 cab drivers conveyed their concerns about the financial implications of the scheme in a letter to Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot

Delhi's retail liquor trade records sharp decline compared to Q1FY23

The retail liquor trade in Delhi has recorded a sharp decline as compared to the first quarter (April-June) in 2022, when the now-scrapped excise policy of the city government was in place, according to a report prepared by the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC). The new excise policy of the Delhi government was withdrawn in July 2022 after Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in its implementation. The policy was finally wrapped up on August 31 last year. The old policy under which Delhi government corporations opened liquor vends in the city was rolled out on September 1, 2022. Despite all the disruptions related to the excise policy changes and non-availability of many brands, Delhi maintained a healthy annual growth rate of 36 per cent year on year, the CIABC report said. However, a closer analysis shows that much of this growth is attributed to the first quarter of 2022-23, when various trade schemes and .

I assure you there will be no compromise on free electricity: Atishi

PPAC hinges on the prices of coal and gas. Though it is different from electricity charges but is levied in consumers' electricity charges

CCTVs at waterlogging-prone spots on G20 delegates' routes: Delhi govt

To ensure that visiting delegates from G20 countries are not inconvenienced by waterlogging, the Delhi government is installing CCTV cameras at "vulnerable" points on the routes that may be taken by them, officials said on Monday. Authorities are rushing to complete the desilting of drains as the monsoon arrived in the national capital on Sunday, two days before its scheduled onset, bringing respite to Delhiites from scorching heat. "The Public Works Department has identified some vulnerable spots. CCTV cameras have been installed at some of the points while work is going on at the other. The officials have 24x7 access to the footage to monitor the on-ground situation," an official said. In view of the G20 Summit, the department plans to maintain a strict vigil at areas that will see movement of delegates to ensure that they do not face any inconvenience due to waterlogging. "We are planning to install CCTV cameras along the routes that may see the movement of delegates during the

Navy carries out navigability assessment of Yamuna river, say officials

The Indian Navy on Saturday successfully carried out the navigability assessment of the Yamuna river, from Signature Bridge to ITO barrage, in Delhi with the help of a workboat, Raj Niwas officials said. Terming it a historic first, they said such trials were earlier planned and contemplated, but could never be taken to conclusion due to various problems associated with the Yamuna like lack of required depth, floating debris in water and the unhygienic condition of the river bank. The workboat was brought to the city by the naval authorities on the initiative of Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, who has been actively monitoring the rejuvenation of Yamuna as chairman of the NGT-appointed high-level committee (HLC), officials said. After the successful completion of physical cleaning of the river and its floodplains between Signature Bridge and ITO Barrage, the LG had decided to undertake this venture by requisitioning for a navy boat. The navy workboat, which is 11 m long with a draft

Greenpeace brings Delhi govt's attention to mitigating impact of heatwaves

Greenpeace India on Friday wrote to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the lack of action and urgency in mitigating the impact of extreme heat episodes on vulnerable people in the national capital. Greenpeace India members also staged a demonstration at the Delhi Secretariat, demanding that the city government implement a comprehensive heat action plan (HAP) by June-end. The letter to the chief minister said despite the Union health ministry's warning about the significant health and socio-economic impact of heatwaves, the city government has displayed indifference towards this issue. HAPs are the primary policy response to economically damaging and life-threatening heatwaves. They prescribe a number of activities, disaster responses and post-heatwave response measures to decrease the impact of heatwaves. Considering the devastating impacts faced by more than half of Delhi's population during the 2022 heatwaves, we emphasised the urgent need for the Delhi government to relea

Delhi govt to roll out welfare schemes for nearly 500,000 domestic workers

The Delhi government will soon come up with welfare schemes for nearly five lakh domestic workers in the national capital, Labour Minister Raaj Kumar Anand said on Friday. Anand made the announcement at a workshop held by the International Labour Organization to discuss bringing domestic workers' rights under the legal ambit in Delhi Addressing the workshop, Anand said the AAP government is constantly working for the welfare of labourers in Delhi. He said that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal believes he is "a creator of the country's destiny." The Kejriwal government has formulated and implemented 17 welfare schemes covering education, health, safety and pension for construction workers in the capital, he said. The Delhi government will soon come up with similar welfare schemes for five lakh domestic workers in the city, he said. He said the workshop is very important for domestic workers and those who work on their behalf because through this "we are able to acknowledge the ...

Focus on law and order: Health Min Saurabh Bhardwaj responds to L-G Saxena

Bharadwaj said that the officers had misinformed LG Saxena about the factual condition

Delhi L-G raises concern over inordinate delay in govt's hospital projects

The LG claimed that work under former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's tenure was much better in the health sector

Day is not far when PM will run all states, Delhi CM writes to Oppn parties

Kejriwal appealed to the leaders of opposition parties to discuss how to defeat the bill related to the Centre's Ordinance in Rajya Sabha in their upcoming meeting

Delhi CM calls NCCSA meeting to discuss transfer, posting of officers

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called the second meeting of the National Capital Civil Services Authority (NCCSA) on June 28 to discuss the transfer and posting of officers in the city.

Delhi's law system has worsened over past year: Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj

After two women were shot in Delhi's RK Puram, the health minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, slammed the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi over the law and order situation in Delhi

Delhi would've been safest had law and order been under AAP, says Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said the national capital would have been the safest place had the law and order situation been under the AAP dispensation instead of the Lieutenant Governor. His remarks came after two women were allegedly shot dead by unidentified assailants in R K Puram in southwest Delhi Sunday morning. "Our thoughts are with the families of the two women. May their souls rest in peace. The people of Delhi have started feeling quite insecure. Those who are responsible for handling the law and order situation in Delhi are hatching conspiracy to take control of Delhi government instead of fixing the situation," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi. "Had the law and order situation been under the AAP dispensation instead of the LG, Delhi would have been the safest," he added. The AAP had on earlier occasions too attacked Lt Governor V K Saxena over the alleged "deteriorating" law and order situation in the city.

Delhi govt plans EV festival to promote safe usage; drafts proposal: Report

The series of EV festivals will also bring stakeholders, which will include buyers, sellers, battery providers, and swapping agencies - for all segments of two, three, and four-wheelers

Bike Taxi ban: Drivers write to Delhi L-G citing livelihood threat

A section of bike taxi drivers has sought Delhi LG V K Saxena's intervention in helping them stave off a Delhi government ban which proscribed them from plying on city roads in absence of a policy. The Delhi government had earlier in the week banned app-based taxi services such as Rapido and Uber in view of absence of a policy for plying of bike taxis on city roads. In a memorandum they handed over to LG's office, the drivers said the Delhi government was adamant on banning their services. "We will face difficulties in meeting household expenses, getting our children educated and getting our parents treated," read the memorandum. The Supreme Court had on Monday stayed a Delhi High Court order that essentially allowed Rapido and Uber to operate in the national capital by asking the Delhi government not to take any coercive action against them till a new policy was formulated. A vacation bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Rajesh Bindal at Supreme Court granted liberty to the two .

HC seeks Delhi govt stand on plea against lock-in period on auto transfer

The Delhi High Court has sought the stand of the city government on a petition against the restriction of a 5-year lock-in period on transfer of three-seater auto rickshaws (TSR) by the owners. Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri issued notice to the Delhi government on May 31 on the petition by Auto Driver Kalyan Union, which claimed to be working for the welfare of TSR vehicle owners and drivers. The Delhi government counsel said a policy decision will be taken to explore the feasibility of carving out exceptions, and sought time from the court to file a status report. Advocate Beenashaw N Soni, the counsel for the petitioner, submitted the lock-in period of five years before TSR autos could be transferred, is an unreasonable restriction, which is in existence only in the national capital. No such restriction has been imposed on any other public utility vehicle. The petitioner has said because of the lock-in period imposed by the Delhi government, the owners of TSR autos, who have purchas