Assembly session to begin next week but new Cabinet to start work today

NEW DELHI: The six ministers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will hit ground on Monday — the first working day of the new government.

Although, ministers had come to the secretariat after the swearing-in ceremony on Saturday, they only had a meeting with CM Arvind Kejriwal and will meet the government officials on Monday.

Government sources said that the ministers have called a meeting of heads of departments and their primary agenda would be to implement the promises made by the AAP before the elections. “Commissioners and secretaries and almost every department such as women and child, education, food and supplies and environment have been called to meet their respective ministers. They will be briefed by the ministers on what they want and department heads will have to come back with a plan in a few days,” said a Delhi government official, requesting anonymity.

Sources also said that the ministers will take at least a week to get familiar with every department and the real work will start after the assembly session. “The assembly SENIOR AAP LEADER

session is likely to start by next Monday and when we have the speaker and all the MLAs in the house, it will be easy to get things done. Since four of the six ministers are first-timers, they will take at least a week to settle down. We don’t want to rush in to any decision whether it is reducing the power tariff or giving free water. Ministers will be given time to work,” said a member of AAP.

On being asked about the role of Kejriwal, a senior leader said, “The 70-point agenda of the AAP will be implemented through him. He will monitor the ministers to ensure the promises made in the manifesto are being fulfilled,” he said.

Deputy CM Manish Sisodia is also likely to provide a helping hand to the other ministers.