New Cabinet Ministers Atishi, Bharadwaj hit the ground running

Bharadwaj says he is working to open Mohalla Clinics in metro stations; Atishi plans to work on synergy between MCD and Delhi govt. schools

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Newly inducted Ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj on Friday announced projects aimed at improving services provided by the Delhi government for the city’s poor. The two were inducted into the Delhi Cabinet a day earlier.

Ms. Atishi, who has been given charge of departments including Education, Power, PWD, Women and Child Development and Tourism, said she will ensure synergy between schools run by the Delhi government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

Mr. Bharadwaj, allocated portfolios including Health, Water, Urban Development, Industries and Vigilance, said he will focus on setting up Mohalla Clinics inside metro stations.

Two Cabinet berths had fallen vacant following the resignations of Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain on February 28. Mr. Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26 and by the Enforcement Directorate on March 9 in separate probes by the agencies in connection with alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped excise policy. Mr. Jain was arrested by the ED in May last year in an alleged money laundering case. Both of them are currently lodged in Tihar jail.

“We will focus on the Ambedkar Schools of Specialised Excellence, where students can focus on their specialised stream from Class 9 onwards,” said Ms. Atishi, the first woman Minister in the AAP government. The Education Minister said she also intends to change the process of recruiting school principals to increase diversity in school staff.

Mr. Bharadwaj said he is working to provide affordable health care to blue-collar workers. “I have noticed that many blue-collar workers don’t get time to visit the clinics, and when they do, it usually is at the cost of their work. So, setting up Mohalla Clinics inside metro stations will help them schedule the checkups,” the Health Minister said. He added that 30 such sites in metro stations had been identified and the ministry is awaiting Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s approval to start work on them.