Delhi Cabinet: Who gets which portfolio and key decisions by Rekha Gupta govt
PTC Web Desk: Rekha Gupta, a first-time MLA and a significant Baniya leader in the BJP, took oath as the ninth Chief Minister of Delhi on Thursday in a grand ceremony at Ramlila Maidan, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and other senior leaders. The new BJP-led government has now assigned key portfolios to its Cabinet ministers.
Rekha Gupta will oversee the Finance, Revenue, and Women & Child Development ministries. Ashish Sood, a senior BJP leader and prominent Punjabi face, has been appointed as the Home Minister and will also handle Power, Education, and Urban Development. Meanwhile, Jat leader Parvesh Verma will manage the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Irrigation & Flood Control Department, which includes the crucial task of cleaning the Yamuna River.
First-time MLA Pankaj Kumar Singh has been given the Health and Family Welfare, as well as the Transport portfolios. Ravinder Indraj, the Dalit representative in the Cabinet, will lead the Social Welfare and SC/ST Welfare departments. Kapil Mishra, known for his hardline Hindutva stance, has been appointed as the Minister of Law and Justice, along with the Labour Department. Sikh leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa will take charge of the Forest and Environment Ministry, in addition to overseeing the Food and Supplies Department.
At its first Cabinet meeting on Thursday evening, the new government announced plans to present 14 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports in the Assembly. These reports have highlighted alleged financial mismanagement in the previous government, including the liquor policy controversy and the extravagant renovation of former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence.
Fulfilling its election promises, the Cabinet approved the rollout of the Mahila Samman Yojana, which will provide Rs 2,500 per month to women in Delhi. The government also decided to implement the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, a central health insurance scheme that was previously not adopted by the AAP government. Additionally, the Delhi government will provide a Rs 5 lakh top-up on top of the existing Rs 5 lakh health coverage under the scheme.
The BJP secured a landslide victory in the recent Delhi Assembly elections, winning 48 out of 70 seats, while the AAP managed to secure only 22 seats, ending its ten-year rule in the capital. The new government has now set its sights on swift implementation of its key welfare schemes.
- With inputs from agencies
