Delhi: Minister Gopal Rai Orders Lawmakers To Clear Over 290 Pending Files Overnight

Delhi’s development minister Gopal Rai ordered 35 lawmakers, officials at the Delhi secretariat, to deal with the pending files related to developmental works in Delhi villages. In an expeditious move, that he termed as “unique and necessary”, Rai and his team cleared the pending 300 files overnight.

What Happened?

The AAP Minister while talking to reporters said he was fed up with the reasons such as “staff crunch” the officials kept giving as excuses for the delayed work in regards to the files, which was, in turn, slowing down the proposed work in villages. “Today, all officials concerned and MLAs from 35 Assembly constituencies were asked to be at Delhi Secretariat with all their printers, laptops and clear pending files,” Mr Rai added.

Village Development Initiative

Last Year in July, Development Minister Gopal Rai announced the formation of the ‘Village Development Board’ to execute development works in urban villages of Delhi. He told the reporters that this board will be established within a month after the cabinet’s clearance. It will not need any mandate to carry out civic works. Rai also said that 600 crores have also been allocated to ensure that the development mechanism in urban and rural villages shall proceed smoothly. During then, more than the ministry had received more than 600 proposals from lawmakers.

On July this year, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced that he would personally see to it that developmental works in the national capital will be “speeded up”. He also tweeted,

Developmental works of providing roads, drains, water n sewer in unauthorised colonies will be speeded up now. Am going today for spot inspection of works in a few colonies.

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 7, 2018

Also in July during his visit to unauthorised colonies, while inspecting civic facilities in north-west Delhi Kirari, the CM told the media that within the next 15 days the AAP government will authorise funds for construction of roads and drains in all unauthorised colonies of the city. He tweeted:

People live in hellish conditions in unauth colonies. To give them dignity n better life, funds will be sanctioned for roads n drains in next 15 days for ALL unauth colonies in Del. Work will start on war footing and daily progress will be monitored. https://t.co/e3h5kPXxr4

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 7, 2018

Did AAP succeed or failed?

The AAP government has claimed that in the past three years, it has succeeded in fulfilling around 80% of its promises. This sudden initiative by the developmental Minister can be considered an effort by AAP administration to fulfil these promises.

Gopal Rai accused the officers of deliberately delaying the files in regards to the proposed developmental works in villages. He claimed that around 295 files were pending approval by the authorities that is marring the developmental works.

Rai blamed this inefficiency of the officials to clear the work on pending files as the reason due to which last year’s budget for the Village Development Board (VDB) lapsed. He said with this move, so far the district magistrates and sub-divisional magistrates have cleared 160 files, while the flood and irrigation department has cleared 135.

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