Profit should not supersede humanity: Kejriwal

Referring to the death of a seven-year-old boy due to dengue after being denied admission by various hospitals in the national capital, Kejriwal said, "It is very heartbreaking.. I feel very sad after hearing such incidents." 

"In the mad race to earn <g data-gr-id="92">profit</g>, one should not become blind. If the hospitals would have treated him, would it have made the turnover of hospitals suffer?" 

The Chief Minister was addressing the conference of ASSOCHAM on 'Ease of doing business - Unfinished agenda'.

Noting that people of Delhi voted for AAP to bring about a 'paradigm change', the Chief Minister claimed that after his government came to power, corruption has gone down by 50-60 per cent which has decreased the cost of doing business and increased the profit of the companies.

"If we make <g data-gr-id="97">process</g> of doing business easy in the city and improve the infrastructure then we will not have to invite corporates to Delhi to invest here. Instead, they themselves will invest in the capital. Delhi has a huge potential, and in one year we will make Delhi number one place for <g data-gr-id="80" style="color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 11px;">ease-of-doing business</g>," he said.

Along with <g data-gr-id="112">focus</g> on business, Kejriwal highlighted that Delhi has <g data-gr-id="113">potential</g> for growth in tourism, education and health sector. "At present, stop over time of tourists in Delhi is less than 24 hours and we have to increase it to 2-3 days, which will create more jobs and revenue." 

"Similarly, we are expanding mandis of Delhi and going to bring a bill to regularise warehouses," he added.

Addressing industrialists, Kejriwal said, "I believe you are the best brains of the <g data-gr-id="83">county</g> and we are longing for ideas. We don't have all the brains to do everything, but if two crore people of the city start using their brains and resources then Delhi will become the best city in the world." 

He further said that AAP got a huge mandate from the public as people were fed up of existing politics which was full of corruption and "hooliganism".

"It is impossible to do business without corruption. Even an honest trader has to give bribe. More than 85 <g data-gr-id="79">per cent</g> of traders want to do fair, corruption-free business and bring fundamental change," he said.

"The government does not do any development... it is done by the people. We only create an environment, which is why we increased the budget of health and education. Allocating the budget was our political commitment but to utilise and implement this money is a real challenge," Kejriwal said.

Emphasising on the change brought by honest politics, he said, "We have seven ministers in our cabinet including me, and I can guarantee that no one is corrupt. There is no other cabinet in this country which is as honest as ours. This is the most honest cabinet.

"To do our work we choose honest secretary and head of <g data-gr-id="87">department</g> (HOD). But some officers are honest and some are not. As we have to choose between groups of officers... dishonest officers are not given <g data-gr-id="88" style="color: #3b3b3b; font-size: 11px;">critical</g> post and we keep an eye on them and monitor their activity," he added.

Sharing his pre-poll experience, he said during election time people used to laugh at him when he used to announce that the price of electricity will <g data-gr-id="110">be reduce</g> to half.

"When we came to power we gave a subsidy of Rs 1,400 crore. After all, it is public money and we are using it for them. Previous government use to do a scam of Rs 1400 crore in one <g data-gr-id="101">tender</g> but we are using this money for the public. We raised the issue of audit of power companies. Earlier, the government used to say that audit cannot be done as there is stay on it by the court. But when our government came we found there was no stay and CAG audit was ordered."

"I cannot speak much about it as of now as its report is not out <g data-gr-id="108">yet</g> but media report shows that there is something wrong. Once the CAG report is out, it is possible that we don't have to give subsidy in electricity," he added.

He also highlighted that his government has successfully started supplying water to areas like Sangam Vihar, Dwarka, Hauz Rani and Bawana which used to face a shortage.

Kejriwal also suggested that eateries and food joints should not need licenses as the sole objective of the government is to ensure they serve clean and hygienic food.

"Instead of licenses for food joints, we should strengthen the food and supplies department to ensure safe food, and new food labs should be made to check adulteration," the Chief Minister said.

Delhi government will soon introduce 'self-attestation' and do away with the need of filing affidavits or getting various certificates attested by gazetted officers.

Kejriwal said that this move would bring relief to the general public, who have to go through a tedious process of getting birth, death or marriage certificates signed by officers of gazetted rank or lawmakers.