CM wants target set for guarantee card promises
NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday directed officers heading government departments that concern implementation of assurances in the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) “guarantee card” to submit reports within seven days, elaborating on deadlines, budgets and modalities.
In its guarantee card, released on January 19 during its campaign for the February 8 assembly elections, AAP had promised its power and water subsidies and existing schemes on CCTV surveillance and bus marshals would continue if it was re-elected.
The card included assurances such as round-the-clock water supply in every household, making electricity wires underground, deploying ‘mohalla marshals’ in residential areas, “world-class” education facilities for each child in Delhi, access to modern healthcare infrastructure for every resident of Delhi, reducing air pollution to one-third, cleaning the Yamuna, making Delhi garbage-free and expanding the ambit of the existing scheme on free bus rides for women to cover students.
On February 11, AAP was re-elected with a thumping majority of 62 out of 70 seats in Delhi.
“Today, I chaired a meeting with cabinet ministers and officers of all departments concerned regarding early implementation of all 10 assurance in the guarantee card. The officers heading the various departments have been directed to submit reports within seven days. In the reports, they should mention deadlines for implementation, the estimates regarding the costs and modalities,” the chief minister said in his first press conference after assuming office on Monday.
The departments include water, power, environment, education, urban development, public works, home, finance, revenue, health and transport, among others.
Kejriwal said provisions for funds to implement the assurances in the guarantee card would be made in the first budget of the government’s third tenure.
The first budget, senior government officials said, was likely to be tabled after March 15.
Asked why he did not keep any portfolio with himself, Kejriwal said this was not unprecedented and he had done the same in 2015.
But he later had to take charge of the water portfolio in 2017 in the light of piling grievances.
He said, “Not keeping any portfolio under direct supervision allows me to keep a broad view on all departments and issues that are crucial to Delhi… Residents of Delhi are my first priority. My first responsibility is to ensure all guarantees and assurances are fulfilled and potential hurdles in their implementation are removed.”