Tourism, Welfare In Focus In Rekha's I-Day Address

Time of India

a day ago

New Delhi: Chief minister Rekha Gupta used her maiden
Independence Day
address at Chhatrasal Stadium to unveil initiatives spanning worker welfare, women's empowerment, environmental renewal and tourism development.
Gupta also announced an ambitious tourism blueprint for Delhi, which included a 12-km Chhath Ghat along the Yamuna, a regular Yamuna Aarti, a heritage tourism circuit, and a river cruise service.
On the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Delhi govt will launch the Atal Canteen scheme to provide hygienic, nutritious meals to workers for just Rs 5, she said. "Delhi govt will stand beside every worker, ensuring jobs, education for their children, and basic family needs," Gupta added.
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Gupta continued her address despite the rain for some time, but wrapped up her speech earlier than expected as children were waiting in the rain.
She described herself as Delhi's "mukhya sevika" and vowed that her govt would rid the capital of garbage, corruption and bureaucratic hurdles.
She later met and congratulated the marching contingents who had also waited in the heavy downpour.
For women in labor-intensive jobs, including taxi drivers, 500 centres and crèches will be set up, she said.
Govt has already upgraded 300 Anganwadi centres with modern facilities and improved safety standards. "These measures will transform the lives of the poor and working classes and ensure no one is left behind in Delhi's progress," the CM said.
In a strong pitch for environmental reform, Gupta declared that Delhi's future "will not be defined by its problems but by the bold solutions we implement today." The initiatives included the elimination of landfill mountains, expansion of solar power adoption, and citizen-driven action.
Marking a push for tourism, Gupta said a heritage circuit would be set up, linking forts, monuments, museums and cultural centres, offering visitors a seamless experience of the city's history.
Gupta framed these plans as part of a broader mission to make Delhi a "viksit", or developed, capital. "With small but strong steps, we will create an independent, developed Delhi, one that the world will admire and that will stand as a proud symbol of our nation's potential," she said.
She paid tribute to the nation's freedom fighters and hailed the armed forces for the success of Operation Sindoor.
Veteran freedom fighter and a member of the Indian National Army (INA), Rangaswamy Madhavan Pillai, was felicitated. Pillai joined the freedom struggle at the age of 17 under Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's leadership.
"I don't just promise but pledge to rejuvenate the Yamuna. Several promises were made in the past to clean the Yamuna, but little was achieved," she said.
At the Delhi party office, BJP's Delhi chief Virendra Sachdeva hoisted the national flag and paid tribute to the martyrs of Pahalgam, and congratulated the Army on Operation Sindoor.
He said after a decade of anarchic governance, this Independence Day was one of joy for Delhiites. He pledged to work with govt to reshape the capital. At the Legislative Assembly, Speaker Vijender Gupta led the celebrations.
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