Despite being in the midst of controversies ever since its formation, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday patted his back saying his Government has done far more work for the people in the first month than its predecessors. On completing one month in power, Kejriwal said controversies surrounding the AAP Government never affected its functioning and asserted that his team did a good job in addressing various challenges facing the city. He said rooting out corruption, ensuring security to women and enhancing water distribution network were among his top priorities.

On corruption, Kejriwal said his Government will come down hard on corrupt officials but at the same time will protect the honest officers too. “We are considering ways to protect the honest officers,” he said without elaborating. Kejriwal said the Delhi Jan lokpal Bill will most probably come before his Cabinet on Friday and the Assembly is likely to meet in a fortnight for its passage.

The Chief Minister said the nursery helpline launched by the education department has also been ‘very helpful’ to parents. The Chief Minister asked agitating contractual employees, including DTC workers and guest teachers who have been sitting on protest demanding regularisation of their services to end their strike immediately. He said Government was in the process of regularising their services and if they do not end their protest, Government would recruit new employees. “We cannot afford to have 600 DTC buses off the roads,” the CM said.

Kejriwal said that a high level committee has been formed to appoint good advocates to represent the state government in courts. He cited that l-G has stated that qualities of lawyers are very bad and some of them cannot even speak a line in courts.

On women’s security, he said a committee has been formed to suggest measures to enhance women security. He said Government was working on setting up a women security force but clarified that it would not be a parallel police force. He said enhancing water distribution network in the city was one of his major priorities. Kejriwal said third party power meter testing will be carried out across the city. He said 58 night shelters were being set up to provide shelters to the homeless.