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Business Standard
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
BJP's Delhi govt marks 100 days; CM seeks time on women's scheme
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday released a 'workbook' detailing her government's achievements in its first hundred days in office and explained why the city government has yet to roll out its flagship women's welfare scheme. Gupta said that 100 days were insufficient to implement the ambitious Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, as the effort is to ensure it reaches every eligible beneficiary. In its manifesto for the Delhi Assembly polls, which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won in February, the party had promised to provide a monthly stipend of ₹2,500 to women from poor families. The government has allocated ₹5,100 crore for implementing the scheme. 'We do not want any (eligible) woman (beneficiary) to be left behind,' she said at a press conference. The document also mentioned the installation of improved street lighting in the city's 'dark corners', the implementation of a heat action plan, and the allocation of ₹500 crore to the Delhi Fire Service. Gupta said her government was committed to spending each rupee of the ₹1 trillion Budget for the 2025–26 fiscal transparently, unlike the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, which she accused of corruption. AAP's city unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj termed the BJP government's first hundred days a period of 'unkept promises' and asked when it would deliver on its ₹2,500 monthly stipend promise to women.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
In Punjab, the real resistance to nasha rises — from its hinterlands
The Punjabi word ghumand translates to arrogance, but for residents of Ghumandgarh, it's pride of a different kind. While many villages across Punjab grapple with drug menace, Ghumandgarh in Fatehgarh Sahib stands out as a model of resistance, fiercely protective of its youth and community values. 'In Ghumandgarh, ghumand is a vow. We have vowed that our youth will never take to drugs. It's a mission we're united on,' said Palwinder Singh, sarpanch of the 1,700-strong village with 1,100 votes. The panchayat has declared the village nasha-mukt (drug-free). Their declaration comes amid the state-wide Yudh Nasheyan Virudh (War Against Drugs), a campaign intensified by the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government after AAP's defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections in February. On March 1, the state government set up a five-member cabinet committee to monitor the crackdown, with the CM himself holding high-level meetings and directing the police to take coordinated, aggressive action. As part of the campaign, drug hotspots are being mapped, supply chains dismantled, traffickers arrested, and the properties of peddlers bulldozed. Both CM Mann and DGP Gaurav Yadav have publicly committed to curbing the menace by May 31. In Ghumandgarh, the village's zero-tolerance policy includes blocking outsiders with 'suspicious credentials' from settling in. Youth are engaged through regular sports—cricket matches nearly every week—and cultural events such as dastar-bandi competitions. 'You won't find a single youth hooked to drugs. The number of them playing practise matches in our playground every evening is proof,' said Manpreet Singh, a resident. The infrastructure speaks: a smart elementary and senior secondary school, a stadium with facilities for five games, an Ayushman Arogya Kendra, veterinary clinic, panchayat ghar and a cooperative society. Public announcements from the village gurdwara spread awareness and flag any suspicious activity. Manpreet, who commutes to Kharar for work daily, said, 'Outside, I see substance abuse everywhere. But coming back to my village each evening feels like returning to an oasis.' No police case — or even a brawl — has been reported in Ghumandgarh in 30 years, said Palwinder, adding that even during the ongoing campaign, police found zero cases of drug addiction. 'That's why we've been declared nasha-mukt. We'll now apply for the Rs 1 lakh grant announced by the CM,' said Palwinder. Owing allegiance to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, he added, 'We decide unanimously to go with the ruling party — it helps get grants.' The grant, he said, will fund a gym and parks. 'We've also sought funds for roads that are in a bad shape.' Navpreet Kaur, a panchayat member, said CCTV cameras have been installed across the village. 'We access them from our phones. If anyone looks suspicious, the sarpanch immediately tells them to return. These attempts have reduced lately. Each panchayat member is assigned a ward to monitor. It's a 24×7 tirade to protect our youth,' she said. The only shortfall is in the number of sports coaches. 'We've hired some from Fatehgarh Sahib city, but it's not enough. We pay them from panchayat funds collected by leasing land. If more coaches come, we can produce athletes. We already have a 400m track,' Palwinder added. The momentum is visible in neighbouring villages too. In Harlalpur, 30 km away, a religious campaign led by woman sarpanch Harjinder Kaur Cheema encourages school children to frequent the gurdwara. 'We create awareness and ask them to stay away from drugs,' said Harjinder, who performs gurbani with other women every afternoon. Her husband, Ranjit Singh Cheema, said youths are asked to perform sewa at the gurdwara every evening to keep them occupied. 'There is a lot of fear of the law now. We get to see our SHO every now and then. IG HS Bhullar and SSP Shubham Aggarwal have also visited us. Peddlers are afraid and drugs are not being sold now,' he said, adding that 50 youths from the village have migrated abroad. Yet, the campaign is not without reminders of its limits. Near Bhajan Singh's house, a pall of silence hangs. His nephew has taken to chitta. 'He has been in a bad shape. I took him to Fatehgarh Sahib hospital. He's on pills now. I don't know what will happen,' he said. Another youth, now deprived of his fix, collapsed from withdrawal and had to be hospitalised. 'He's also on medication,' said Bhajan. In Unchha Jatana village near Khanna, lambardar Bhupinder Singh said police had directed locals not to shelter peddlers fleeing raids. 'They're on the run now. We guard the village round the clock.' Sarpanch Pawanpreet Singh said village heads are part of WhatsApp groups with local MLAs and DSPs. 'Surveys are conducted daily. We've been told to report addicts immediately or face questioning. So we stay alert. We can say we are chitta-mukt but not nasha-mukt yet. Some of our elderly are still on bhukki and opium. The drive is ongoing, the police are vigilant, and panchayats are on their toes. We may not eliminate drugs completely, but if we continue this level of vigilance, we can save our future generations,' he said. AAP has claimed that in its three-year tenure, 6,500 major drug traffickers have been arrested, over 30,000 NDPS cases registered, 10,000 police personnel involved in trafficking transferred, and 100 police officers arrested. The government has also exhorted panchayats to declare themselves drug-free to claim the Rs 1 lakh reward. However, Amrik Singh, a resident of Unchha Jatana, echoed a deeper concern: 'The bulldozing of properties has instilled huge fear. That has helped. But the real mission will be to employ our youth. Many with MA degrees are earning Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 per month. They didn't study this much to earn this. That frustration can become dangerous.' As May 31 approaches, the date by which the state government has vowed to make visible gains, villages like Ghumandgarh and Harlalpur are showing that community ownership—when backed by state action—can lay the foundation for lasting change. But the challenge, say many, lies beyond enforcement. It's in the promise of opportunity.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Govt plans ordinance to regulate pvt school fee hikes
New Delhi: Delhi govt is likely to introduce an ordinance for Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025, aimed at curbing arbitrary fee hikes in private schools. The ordinance could be brought within a week, a senior govt official said. In a state assembly, an ordinance is a law issued when the legislature is not in session. The state legislature can then choose to approve the ordinance, reject it, or modify it. According to sources in Delhi govt, a proposal in this regard has already been sent to the law department. The ordinance would be an interim measure operating for a limited time, before the bill is brought in the monsoon session of Delhi Assembly, the sources said. The draft bill was earlier planned to be passed in a special session of Delhi Assembly scheduled for May 13-14. However, the session did not take place. A Delhi govt official said the draft bill aims to set guidelines for all schools in the city to regulate school fees. It will have strict provisions for schools found increasing fees, such as a Rs 50,000 fine to be imposed by Director of Education in the case of each student. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like [Click Here] - 2025 Top Trending Search - Local network access Esseps Learn More Undo The administration will also have the power to seal and sell the school property in case of repeated violations and unpaid fines. There will also be a provision to double the amount of the fine if it is not paid within a fixed timeframe, the sources said. The draft advocates the establishment of a school-level fee regulation committee, a district fee appellate committee, and a revision committee to oversee fee structures and address grievances. According to the draft, every school shall constitute, within two months of the passage of the bill, a school-level fee regulation committee for each academic year. The panel will comprise representatives of the school management, the principal, three teachers and five parents. The observer would be Director of Education of the committee. In the district fee appellate committee, the chairperson will be the deputy Director of Education and the member secretary would be the deputy Director of Education (zonal). It will comprise a chartered accountant, parents and teachers. In the revision committee, there would be an eminent person from the education sector.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Delhi Assembly panel row: Speaker warns disruptive MLAs can be removed, AAP's Atishi calls it undemocratic
The ongoing controversy over the powers of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Delhi Assembly took a turn on Tuesday, after Speaker and BJP leader Vijender Gupta said MLAs who create 'chaos' during meetings can be asked to withdraw or be removed. Gupta's statement came after AAP's Leader of Opposition Atishi raised questions on the panel's powers after the 2021 amendment to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) Act, which placed curbs on the powers of Assembly committees, and demanded that an opinion on the power of the committee be sought from the Law Department. The PAC examines the expenditure of government departments and the CAG reports. Responding to a letter from PAC chairman and BJP MLA Ajay Mahawar, which alleged that AAP MLAs on the committee – Atishi, Kuldeep Kumar and Virender Singh – had disrupted committee meetings, Gupta said they can be removed from meetings. Atishi first raised the issue with the Speaker on May 6. In response, Gupta said that while committees must function within the boundaries of law, they still retain sufficient authority under the Constitution and Rules, including the power to examine CAG reports. On Wednesday, Atishi demanded that the Speaker ask the Centre to withdraw the amendments made to the GNCTD Act in 2021. 'That's the first step if you're serious about empowering Delhi Assembly's committees. Why is the Speaker refusing to even raise that demand? If there are no curbs on Committees in this context, why are you afraid of sending it to the Law Department for an opinion? It's not the Speaker's job to interpret the law — it's the Law Department's,' she said. On Gupta's letter allowing Mahawar to remove members from Committee meetings, Atishi said, 'We are being told that if we raise these questions in a committee, we'll be thrown out of the meeting. This has never happened in the democratic history of our country.'
News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Court Raps Delhi Police For 'Lackadaisical' Probe Into Kapil Mishra's 2020 'Communal' Remarks
Last Updated: The court noted that police had made no serious effort to gather Mishra's social media evidence despite repeated orders since March last year A Delhi court on Monday criticised the city police for its 'lackadaisical approach" in investigating a case against BJP leader and Delhi Development Minister Kapil Mishra over alleged inflammatory statements made ahead of the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Vaibhav Chaurasia, of the Rouse Avenue Courts, noted that despite repeated court orders since March last year, there had been no serious attempt by the police to collect evidence related to Mishra's social media activity — especially his X (formerly Twitter) posts. 'No one is present on behalf of the investigating agency to follow up the directions of further investigation and before any stringent remarks could be made upon the casual attitude of the investigating agency qua the directions of this Court, this Court is constrained to bring it to the notice of Worthy Commissioner of Police, Delhi Police, with respect to the state of affairs and non-adequate explanation on the part of the Investigating Agency," said ACJM Chaurasia while delivering the ruling on Monday, Live Law reported. 'Without fail, the diligent endeavour was made by this Court vide order-sheets dated 20.03.2024, 20.04.2024, 10.05.2024, 15.05.2024, 01.06.2024, 01.07.2024, 11.07.2024, 22.07.2024, 20.03.2025, 08.04.2025 for the collection of evidence qua Twitter handle of the accused, but in vain," the judge added. The FIR against Mishra was filed under Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), which relates to promoting enmity between classes during an election. It stemmed from his 2020 remarks broadcast in the media, including phrases such as 'mini Pakistans in Delhi" and 'Pakistan has entered Shaheen Bagh". Mishra also posted on social media that the 2020 Delhi election would be an 'India vs Pakistan" battle on the city's streets. The judge said the matter had been pending since March last year and took serious note of the investigating agency's failure to act on the court's instructions. The court has now directed that a copy of the order be sent to the Commissioner and Joint Commissioner of Delhi Police to take appropriate action. 'If the police are unable to investigate the matter or face any obstacles, this must be reported to the Court," ACJM Chaurasia stated. The matter is now scheduled to be heard again on 7 July. First Published: May 27, 2025, 14:36 IST
