NEW DELHI: From March, eligible people in Delhi will start getting subsidised ration at their doorstep, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced at a flag-hoisting ceremony on Monday to mark the 72nd Republic Day organised at Delhi secretariat. Doorstep delivery of ration is a dream project of the Delhi government. Kejriwal counted the challenges the Covid pandemic posed to the Delhi government including the huge financial challenge due to dip in tax collection and explained how his government tackled them and elaborated on the schemes and projects AAP government is bringing for the people including health cards for all and flats for slum dwellers.
Kejriwal underlined that even when the Covid pandemic overwhelmed health infrastructure in almost all major developed cities across the world, there were no patients lying outside hospitals or in the roads in Delhi despite the capital witnessing up to 8,500 cases in a single day. Even after reporting 8500 cases a day, Delhi still had 7000 vacant Covid beds in hospitals. CM said that over 3 lakh Covid patients recovered under home isolation that was started first in Delhi and hoped that the country gets rid of Covid this year.
Chhatrasal Stadium is the usual venue for the ceremony but it was shifted to Delhi Secretariat due to Covid.
“By March this year, our dream initiative of providing door-step delivery of ration will be launched. People will not be required to go to ration shops anymore. I think this will be a revolutionary step in changing the entire ration system,” Kejriwal said. Under the scheme properly packed ration will be delivered to the beneficiaries’ homes.
CM also stated that Delhi government will also issue health cards to people this year. “People can take this health card to any government hospital, they will have a health ID and will not be required to carry any documents or medical slips because all record and medical history will be stored in the health card. You will also not be required to stand in queues in the hospitals, you can schedule an online/telephonic appointment with your doctor, and you can reach your doctor on time,” Kejriwal said.
It will be started with government health infrastructure including hospitals, mohalla clinics, polyclinics, dispensaries, society hospitals, and later on private hospitals will also be added, Kejriwal added.
"Delhi Jal Board is working to clean the Yamuna river. I have convened several meetings with the board and I hope that we will be able to fulfill all the dreams of the Delhiites. All the projects are running on time," CM said.
CM said that the government is working to provide flats to people living in slums. “In some places people living in slums remain a bit hesitant in moving to the flats. I want to appeal to them that you and your family cannot have a bright future in the slums. The Delhi government is constructing flats for you,” Kejriwal said adding that flats will be provided in the coming days. Kejriwal hoped that coronavirus pandemic will be over with the successful introduction of vaccines.
“Government provided dry ration to 1 crore people every month. 10 lakh people were provided cooked food every day. We deposited Rs 5,000 each to the bank account of around 1.56 lakh auto and taxi drivers during the lockdown. Rs 10000 was deposited in the bank account of 44,000 construction workers,” Kejriwal said, adding that despite massive slum in government’s tax collection Delhi government continued to provide free electricity and water. Kejriwal said that 73% people received zero electricity bill in the last billing cycle and 56% received zero water bill.