Soon, NDMC areas to get free water too: Kejriwal

The Delhi government on Saturday decided to extend its scheme of providing up to 20,000 litres of water free of cost to New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) areas, and also approved a proposal to set up more mohalla clinics in the national capital.

Announcing the Cabinet’s decision, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, the water scheme will be applicable to the NDMC areas from the date on which it was implemented in rest of Delhi. Water bills paid by residents of New Delhi area after that date will be refunded to them.

New Delhi area is the Assembly constituency of Kejriwal.

After coming to power in February last year, the AAP government had announced free-water scheme of 20,000 litres to every household in Delhi. However, the scheme could not be implemented in New Delhi area as it falls under the jurisdiction of NDMC.

Apart from this, the Chief Minister also directed Health Minister Satyendar Jain to convene a meeting of all other ministers for identification of land available with various departments of Delhi government where new Mohalla Clinics can be set-up.

The Cabinet also decided to improve the condition of Chhath Puja Ghats in the national Capital.

Departments concerned - PWD, DSIIDC, Irrigation and Flood Control - have been directed to make elaborate arrangements for Chhath Puja at around 180 ghats where it is performed, a senior government official said.

The Chief Minister said the Cabinet has decided to make the Irrigation and Flood Control Department the nodal agency to survey these ghats, and as per requirement make these permanent before the next year’s puja.

The Cabinet also decided to increase in the bed capacity of the under-construction hospital at Ambedkar Nagar.

“The cabinet has decided to increase the bed capacity of the under-construction hospital at Ambedkar Nagar (Dakshinpuri) from 200 to 600 beds, following its redesigning. The estimated cost of setting-up this hospital has now been revised to Rs 180 crore,” Kejriwal said here.