Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that he understands the pain of traders as he belongs to the community. He also claimed that the national Capital has not felt the "pinch" of the economic slowdown because of the AAP Governments' schemes.
He was speaking at an event organised by the Chamber of Trade and Industries on Sunday. He also said he wanted the economic situation of the country to improve.
Addressing traders, the Chief Minister said, "Trade is slowing down There has been no increase in the salaries but people's expenses are
rising. However, the Delhi Government has provided a lot of support to the people of Delhi, so that they do not feel the pinch of the slowdown as much.
He said that for instance, the government waived off the electricity bills up to 200 units. "We provided free water and waived off the old water bills. Now, travelling in a bus will also be free for women," he added.
Commenting on the state of the economy, he said it is a huge ongoing recession. "I came across many traders today, who told me around 30 to 40 per cent of the turnover, has reduced. I hope the economy will improve soon so that the trade also improves. We appeal to the Central Government to take all necessary steps to improve the economy," he said.
Kejriwal also said that when his government came into power, water pipeline connectivity in Delhi was only 58 per cent but in a year or two, 100 per cent areas of Delhi will be covered under water pipeline treatment plan. "Our mission is to provide clean and safe tap water to every household in the city," he said.
"We have worked hard to ensure full-time power in the city. We had to tighten our hold on the power sector companies. I also spent time in the colonies and felt power breakdown and made sure it was fixed. I summoned weekly reports mentioning areas with major power breakdowns. I am happy that many transformers around Delhi have been fixed, electricity cables have been changed, and there are no thefts related to electricity," he added.
He further said that Delhi has access to 24-hour water and electricity now. "Apart from that, our Government has achieved excellence in the fields of health and education, it has gained us recognition from all-over the world." He said.
The Chief Minister asserted that his Government was sensitive towards traders and that it always took care of their interests.