Ayushman Bharat, DEVI Buses & Yamuna Cleaning: A Look At 100 Days Of Delhi CM Rekha Gupta In Office

News18

26-05-2025

Last Updated:
The BJP came to power in Delhi in February, marking its return to the Capital after three decades after pushing out the AAP
Within 100 days of taking office, the Rekha Gupta government in Delhi has introduced a series of reforms and new initiatives that will be listed in a report card, expected to be released on May 31. The Delhi government has also planned several new announcements for that day, sources told News18.
The BJP came to power in Delhi in February, marking its return to the Capital after three decades. The last time the party controlled the government was between 1993 and 1998. So, the first 100 days are not only important for the government but also for the party.
Here's a look at the top five schemes and initiatives launched by the Delhi government in its first 100 days:
Ayushman Bharat—Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)
Blocked by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi for several years, one of the Gupta government's first initiatives was implementing the Union government's AB-PMJAY.
Launched in September 2018, the scheme, according to the government, has been a game-changer in healthcare. In just five years, it has enabled millions of poor and vulnerable families across the country to access timely and quality healthcare without financial burden during medical emergencies.
Under AB-PMJAY, each eligible family in Delhi receives health insurance coverage of up to Rs 10 lakh annually—Rs five lakh from the central government and a Rs five lakh top-up from the Delhi government.
With its implementation in Delhi, all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, regardless of socio-economic status, are covered under the Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana, which provides Rs five lakh in free health coverage. According to official estimates, over six lakh senior citizens in Delhi will benefit.
Overall, about 36 lakh people in Delhi are expected to benefit from the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY scheme.
To connect remote areas and improve last-mile connectivity with clean, efficient transportation, the BJP government launched 400 smaller—nine-metre—buses in the city.
Termed DEVI—Delhi Electric Vehicle Interconnector—these buses serve routes and areas where larger 12-metre buses cannot operate. These e-buses are running on shorter routes of around 12 km.
While launching the buses earlier this month, the chief minister promised that an additional 2,000 e-buses would be added to the fleet by the end of the year.
With these buses, the government is aiming to ensure cleaner, more efficient commuting options for all.
A series of multi-pronged initiatives has been launched over the past three months to clean the Yamuna.
One of these is the 'Maa Yamuna Swachhta Abhiyan' launched in schools across the national capital to raise awareness among children about the importance of the river and to connect them with the broader cleanliness movement.
To ensure Yamuna cleaning remains a priority, both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have held review meetings.
In the meeting with the prime minister held last month, an agency-wise action plan for cleaning the river was reviewed. The plan included short-term activities (up to three months), medium-term (three months to 1.5 years), and long-term efforts (1.5 to 3 years).
The cleaning initiative includes drain management, solid waste management, sewage and septage treatment, and dairy waste control.
The government is also focusing on industrial waste management, identifying gaps in wastewater treatment infrastructure, implementing monitoring measures, improving river flow, protecting floodplains, and developing a green riverfront.
Shah, in a meeting last week, called the Yamuna a 'symbol of faith" and said cleaning the river is a government priority. He also called for a long-term drainage plan and directed that all vacant posts in the Delhi Jal Board be filled.
In March, Gupta announced a Rs 1,500 crore Yamuna Rejuvenation Plan, focusing on building 40 decentralised sewage treatment plants (STPs) to treat wastewater at the source and upgrading existing STPs to increase capacity and efficiency.
Mahila Samriddhi Scheme
One of the key promises made by the BJP during the 2025 Delhi assembly election campaign is taking shape. The Delhi Cabinet has finalised the basic structure of the scheme—Rs 2,500 monthly to the eldest woman in Antyodaya or BPL households.
A total of Rs 5,100 crore has been allocated for the scheme in the 2025-26 budget, and the government is ready to implement it at any time with the opening of online registrations.
Pollution-Free Delhi
The government has launched multiple schemes to combat various forms of pollution in Delhi—air, water, and noise. While work is already underway to clean the Yamuna, new steps have also been taken to address air and noise pollution.
To tackle air pollution, the government has approved cloud seeding trials. It has also announced the deployment of CNG-operated trucks equipped with advanced anti-smog guns. These trucks can spray mist over a 30-meter horizontal distance and rotate 330 degrees to reduce airborne pollutants in industrial areas.
To address noise pollution, the government has issued significant amendments to empower local authorities and officers to take direct action under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000.
While this is just the start, the coming months will show whether these ambitious beginnings translate into lasting change for the national capital.
tags :
aam aadmi party BJP pm narendra modi Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana Rekha Gupta River Yamuna
Location :
New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
May 26, 2025, 09:57 IST
News politics Ayushman Bharat, DEVI Buses & Yamuna Cleaning: A Look At 100 Days Of Delhi CM Rekha Gupta In Office