Yamuna cleaning may get push as DJB given financial muscle
According to the CM, such projects will no longer require cabinet approvals as the powers of the DJB chairperson, CEO, and other senior officials have also been increased.
Gupta said that the previous government had stripped the DJB of all its financial powers, which brought critical works—like Yamuna cleaning, modern drainage systems, and water supply projects—to a standstill. As a result, the Yamuna remained polluted and Delhiites continued to suffer from irregular water supply.
As per the new system, the DJB has been authorised to sanction all projects with estimated cost spend over `50 crore independently. It can approve higher-budget projects internally. Also, under the revised provisions, the DJB chairperson can approve projects worth up to `50 crore, the CEO up to Rs 25 crore, members (admin/water supply/drainage) up to `5 crore and other senior officers also have enhanced powers.
The CM said that this move will lead to better decision-making at every level of the board and reduce unnecessary delays in execution. She reiterated her government's objective—to rapidly and effectively clean the Yamuna, treat dirty and foul-smelling drain water through modern systems to prevent further pollution of the river, and improve the capital's drinking water supply.
She pointed out that for a long time, the Yamuna cleaning plans remained only on paper due to the lengthy approval processes. That bottleneck has now been removed. 'Our government is committed to delivering result-oriented governance, not entangling people in paperwork,' the CM said.
Officials said now the sewage treatment plants and desilting plants will be installed rapidly when needed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
17 minutes ago
- Hans India
No party satisfied with current status of electoral rolls: CEC Gyanesh Kumar amid SIR controversy
Amid the swirling allegations of systemic conspiracy to deprive a large section of people of voting rights in Bihar, the Chief Election Commissioner sought to set the records straight on Sunday, as he stated that the current voter ID cards remain a 'source of concern' for all parties across the political spectrum. CEC Gyanesh Kumar shed light on the marathon meetings conducted with parties as well as political representatives in the past four months and informed that all shared a common opinion that electoral rolls are 'not up to the mark', thereby prompting the poll body to go for a major overhaul. 'During the past 4 months, all 4,123 EROs, all 775 DEOs and all 36 CEOs have held nearly 5,000 meetings with 28,000 political party representatives. ECI has also invited all Recognised political parties for interaction. No one was satisfied with the current status of electoral rolls for one reason or the other,' said Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The CEC's disclosures on intensive revision of electoral rolls assume significance as it comes in the wake of vociferous protests by the Opposition parties, as the latter claimed that their charges are being ignored and neglected by the Election Commission. On Saturday, the CEC said that the poll panel is regularly holding discussions and dialogue with the political parties to address their concerns. Notably, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) - a rigorous exercise by the ECI to roll out 'fresh' electoral rolls in Bihar has come under intense scrutiny and criticism from the Opposition parties. According to EC's guidelines on SIR, about 4.96 crore voters - comprising 60 per cent of the electorate, who were listed in electoral rolls before 2003, don't have to be part of the exercise, which means that they won't have to deposit any supporting documents to establish their date or place of birth. However, the rest 40 per cent of the population, comprising about Rs 3 crore, will have to provide supporting documents as 'evidence' to establish their date or place of birth.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
KTR accepts Revanth Reddy's challenge to debate on Telangana farmers' issues
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao has accepted Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's challenge for a public debate on farmers' issues. Rao, popularly known as KTR, said he was ready to confront the Chief Minister anywhere, anytime and dared him to fix the date, time and came after Reddy demanded KTR to have a debate with him on farmers' aim at Reddy, KTR alleged the Chief Minister lacked basic knowledge about agriculture and governance. "I am giving him 72 hours to prepare so that he doesn't end up embarrassing himself by mistaking a basin for a vegetable. This is for his own good," KTR remarked sarcastically while speaking to reporters. Asserting he was ready for the debate, KTR offered to meet at any location chosen by the Chief Minister - whether in Reddy's own constituency of Kodangal, his native village Kondareddypally, or even at the Ambedkar statue or Somajiguda Press Club in Hyderabad. "This is not about mudslinging. Let's put the facts out there. Let's see who really worked for Telangana's farmers," he accused Reddy of betraying Telangana by diverting the state's water to Andhra Pradesh, and claimed that the Chief Minister was acting under the influence of TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. "Revanth has turned Telangana into an ATM for the Congress high command. He's running a puppet government, not a people's one," he what he called the success of the BRS regime, KTR said that agriculture in Telangana had been transformed into a celebration under K Chandrasekhar Rao's regime. He credited the BRS with initiatives like Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima, Mission Kakatiya and large-scale irrigation projects that, according to him, turned the state into the top paddy producer in the said during the Covid-19 crisis, the BRS set up thousands of procurement centres to ensure that not a single grain went to waste during its rule."Who brought Godavari water into the dry lands of Telangana? Who revived rivers like Kudelii, Haldi and Manjeera? Who stopped farmer suicides and tackled the fluoride crisis? It was KCR, not the Congress," he further accused the Congress government of failing to deliver on its promises, citing the non-payment of farm loan waivers, pensions and crop support schemes. 'Where is the Rs 15,000 per acre support you promised? Where is the Rs 4,000 pension? What happened to the Rs 2,500 allowance for women, free scooters or the 2 lakh jobs?' he asked."The only people happy today are Revanth and his coterie, looting like the Dandupalya gang. Auto drivers, farmers, young people, the elderly, women - none of them are satisfied. Dalits won't vote for a non-functional Dalit Bandhu scheme. Unemployed people won't vote for jobs that never came. Farmers won't vote for a Bharosa scheme that's still pending," he to KTR, every major welfare promise made by the Congress had been either been broken or delayed. "Farmers were promised support for three crops - they haven't even supported one fully. While KCR gave Rs 10,000 per acre on time, Revanth gave just one installment and threw a party," he Reddy's administration a "classic Congress drama", KTR said, 'When Congress talks about farmer welfare, it's like ghosts quoting scriptures. This government is an insult to democracy, just like the Indiramma era when people were jailed during the Emergency.'KTR reminded that even the Centre had acknowledged in Parliament that the BRS stopped farmer suicides and ended the fluoride crisis in Telangana. "Those who can't understand facts are called fools. Those who knowingly deny them are called Revanth Reddy. The truth is known to every villager, every field in Telangana,' he said.- Ends IN THIS STORY#Telangana#Bharat Rashtra Samithi#Indian National Congress
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Gold prices may be volatile as Trump's tariff deadline approaches: Analysts
Gold prices may see heightened volatility in the coming week as investors track a crucial July 9 tariff deadline, policy signals from major central banks, including the US Federal Reserve, and key global macroeconomic data, analysts said. "These factors could influence the near-term trajectory of gold prices," analysts said, adding that traders are expected to remain cautious ahead of any major policy cues or geopolitical developments. The 90-day suspension of Trump tariffs on imports from several countries, including India, ends on July 9, reviving the risk of a 26 per cent additional duty on Indian goods entering the US. "Going ahead, the focus will be on the interest rate cuts by key central banks, especially US Fed Reserve, the outcome of trade negotiation between US and its trading partners, incoming global economic data, which could impact the near-term gold prices," Pranav Mer, Vice President, EBG, Commodity & Currency Research at JM Financial Services Ltd, said. Investors will also closely monitor the release of the US Fed's FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) meeting minutes. Last week, the precious metal futures for August delivery rose Rs 1,563, or 1.61 per cent, on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX). N S Ramaswamy, Head of Commodities Desk and CRM at Ventura, said gold prices in the international market, currently at USD 3,345 per ounce, could remain under selling pressure due to the solid US macroeconomic data that dented hopes of a July interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve. Despite some corrective rallies, Ramaswamy stated that "the short-term outlook favours consolidation and corrective upward movements, followed by a likely continuation of the broader downward trend". Ramaswamy, however, said fiscal deficit worries in the US and impending Trump tariffs decision could trigger fresh volatility and lift demand for the yellow metal. Central banks added a net 20 tonnes of gold to global gold reserves in May, he said. Prathamesh Mallya, DVP, Research, Non-Agri Commodities and Currencies at Angel One, said gold prices continue to be supported by a weakening US dollar and ongoing geopolitical concerns. "Dollar weakness has been a key part of gold prices rising in 2024 as well as in 2025. This trend will continue for the rest of the year," Mallya said. Meanwhile, JM Financial's Pranav Mer also pointed to persistent central bank purchases, and increased retail and institutional investments via ETFs as factors bolstering the long-term bullish case for gold prices.
