Opening of eight schools and 50 playgrounds every month and one new college every three months are among a few major tasks that the AAP Government would be bound to deliver in the next five years. Even before assuming power, CM-designate Arvind Kejriwal swung into action and asked Chief Secretary
DM Spolia to ensure each department comes out with a detailed presentation on February 19 on how they were going to proceed further to implement the party’s manifesto in a time-bound manner.
Following the directions of Kejriwal, the Chief Secretary on Thursday held a high-level meeting of all Heads of Department (HoDs) and identified 12 lead departments to implement the 70-point programmes.
Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia said “clear-cut” instructions have been given to all the departments to prepare presentations on how the promises mentioned in the manifesto could be implemented.
For instance, Power Department will handle all issues related to power, including street lighting and condition of electricity poles. Similarly, Delhi Jal Board will take up all issues related to water. There are indications that the new Government’s first major decision would be to reduce electricity bills by half and provide free water to those households whose average consumption is up to 700 litres a day.
The manifesto read: “Our Government will keep its promise of reducing electricity bills by half… Each household having a metered connection will get average 700 litres of free water every day.” The party’s 70-point Action Plan said it was committed to ensure that 20 per cent of the city’s energy needs were met through solar energy by
2025. The Action Plan said that the AAP Government would provide piped water connections to 14 lakh households within five years. It also promised to abolish the mandatory annual 10 per cent hike in water tariffs.
As far as the women security is concerned, the new Government’s focus will be to set up Mahila Suraksha Dal or women’s security force of 10,000 strong home guards who are reportedly forced to work as servants, drivers and cooks at the residences of Ministers and officers. Its priority will be to put up CCTVs at public places and buses. The new Government would also be working for making all the streetlights functional.