Delhi govt back to business as Covid situation improves

NEWDELHI: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal pointed out last week, on numerous occasions, how the Delhi government has started to refocus on key governance issues that have been on the back burner in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kejriwal, in his media briefings, spoke about reviving the capital’s economy, completing pending projects, implementing schemes that have been stuck, and reopening hotels and weekly market -- the last of which was shot down by lieutenant governor Anil Baijal.

Senior officials in the finance department said that after July 31, the government had not extended an order imposing a restriction on considering any non-covid proposal — a decision taken in June, when the number of cases in the city were peaking.

The Covid situation has since improved. On Sunday, around 90% of the 137,677 Covid-19 patients in the city had recovered from the disease. Active cases are now down to 7.52% of the total tally of 137,677

There have been several signs of this shift in focus —and a gradual return to business as usual— over the past three weeks.

Since July 21, the government cleared the decks for its flagship doorstep delivery of rations scheme, inspected infrastructure projects such as the redevelopment of Chandni Chowk and flyovers in north-east Delhi’s Seelampur and Shastri Park, and on July 27 Kejriwal launched an employment portal to facilitate job seekers and employers who have been hit by the lockdown.