Atishi asks Cabinet, bureaucrats to work for public welfare

New Delhi

Atishi, on her second day in office after assuming charge as the chief minister of Delhi, held her first meeting with her Cabinet ministers and senior bureaucrats heading various government departments, wherein she exhorted them to work for public welfare and remain accountable to taxpayers.

Over the next few days, the implementation of ₹1,000 honorarium to women is likely to be at the top of the government’s agenda, given the scheme also requires the approval of lieutenant governor VK Saxena.

Delhi women and child development minister Kailash Gahlot said, “All formalities regarding our promise to provide ₹1,000 to women above 18 years of age have been completed. It will be put before the Cabinet soon for approval. The scheme will be implemented before the Delhi elections due in February, as the budget for the scheme has been already allocated.”

Earlier in the day, Atishi visited the Hanuman temple in Connaught Place to pray for “re-election of Arvind Kejriwal as Delhi CM in upcoming elections”, continuing a tradition of senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders visiting the temple following significant developments.

“Delhi government and the officials stationed in Delhi are fully accountable to the people. We all rely on the taxes paid by the people of Delhi, so it is our responsibility to work towards providing them with the best possible services and to fulfil our responsibilities with complete integrity,” she said in the meeting.

Atishi took oath as the eighth Delhi CM on Saturday and took charge formally on Monday. A Delhi government official said that on her first day in office, Atishi stayed in office from around 11am to 8pm, during which she met officials and staff of the CM office and officials from different departments, besides attending to files from departments under her and other key departments, such as environment, home and others. She also sent files to the LG office, but details of these were not divulged.

Atishi on Tuesday said it was the government’s duty to ensure that the services reach “the last person in line”, and that the government lives up to their expectations. “Delhi government and officials will work together to ensure that every person in need receives government services and can live with dignity. The work of officials has a significant impact on the lives of the people of Delhi. Therefore, it is the responsibility of all officials to work for the betterment of the people of Delhi. As a government, we will provide full support to the officials,” she said.

In a post on X later in the day, she said: “After assuming charge as Chief Minister, today I held a meeting with all the cabinet colleagues and heads of departments of Delhi Government. As a government, our accountability is towards the people of Delhi. In such a situation, with the cooperation of all the officials, we will work together to provide better facilities to the people of Delhi and fulfil the vision of Arvind Kejriwal.”

After her temple visit in the morning, Atishi said: “Today, I prayed to Lord Hanuman that just as his blessings have always been with us, they continue to be so. With his blessings, we will keep working for the people of Delhi, and in the upcoming elections, Arvind Kejriwal will once again be chosen as the Chief Minister by the people of Delhi.”

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said Cabinet meetings are “very important” in the work of any government, there has been no Cabinet meeting in Delhi for about seven months. “It was expected that Atishi would call a Cabinet meeting and take forward the pending work, but she is not concerned about it. Atishi is busy blaming the officials in her old style,” he said.