Delhi govt to increase hospital bed availability, upgrade medical infra
Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday announced that her government is working towards a sharp upgrade in Delhi's healthcare infrastructure, aiming to increase hospital bed availability from 0.47 beds per 1,000 people to at least three.
Speaking at a public event in her constituency of Shalimar Bagh, Gupta said the city's poor health care capacity was a legacy of years of neglect.
'I may not make grand promises, but I can say with certainty that Delhi now has a government that works,' she said. 'In our first 100 days, we have taken multiple policy decisions to address long-standing issues that had left people frustrated.'
She said a high-level health committee meeting held on Tuesday revealed an alarming gap in infrastructure. 'The WHO recommends two beds per 1,000 people, but Delhi doesn't even have one. This is a serious concern. We are now working towards a goal of three beds per 1,000 residents,' Gupta said.
The announcement came amid a mild uptick in Covid-19 cases, though the government has stressed there is no cause for panic and preparations are in place for any eventuality.
The government, she added, has already started initiatives such as the distribution of Ayushman Bharat health cards to senior citizens, offering financial protection across all socio-economic backgrounds. 'It's an unprecedented move to support the elderly across sections,' she said.
At a separate event marking her government's completion of 100 days in power, Gupta expressed gratitude to the people of Delhi for the BJP's landslide victory. She said the synergy between the Centre, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the state government was now beginning to show results on the ground.
'There is coordination between Delhi, MCD and the Centre. All of us are working toward a developed Delhi. The people's vote has changed the city's fate,' she said.
Gupta is set to present a detailed 'report card' of her government's first 100 days, at a mega event at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on May 31.
Earlier on Wednesday, she toured parts of Shalimar Bagh to inspect ongoing development projects. In Pitampura, she inaugurated newly constructed footpaths at SU and UU Parks and unveiled upgraded roads and civic infrastructure in NP, PD, and QD blocks.
Reflecting on her journey from councillor to CM, Gupta said, 'When I was elected in 2007, these parks were barren and neglected. We added paths, toilets, swings, open gyms — and now, as CM, I pledge to turn this space into a beautiful 'Amrit Udyan'.'
She also announced the completion of a new Ring Road stretch between Madhuban Chowk and Mukarba Chowk, constructed at a cost of ₹13 crore. 'It is our resolve to make every neighbourhood clean, beautiful, and safe. This wave of development will not stop,' Gupta said.
With the BJP government approaching the 100-day milestone, the CM has sought to frame the party's tenure as one of decisive action, infrastructure revamp, and visible public service delivery — a contrast, she said, to 'governments that only fought and failed to fix.'
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19 minutes ago
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