High on agenda, AAP slips on action front

If ground realities are compared with promises in the party’s election manifesto, the Arvind Kejriwal government has performed well only in a few departments
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal. | AFP File Photo
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal. | AFP File Photo

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government, which will complete its two years on February 14, seems to have wasted most of its valuable time in its tussle with the Union government. Implementation hit roadblocks as various projects and proposals were stuck due to the tug-of-war between the government and Liutenant Governor (LG) Najeeb Jung, the administrator of the capital. Now with Delhi having a new LG in Anil Baijal, it would again be a challenge for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to balance relationship with him.

However, if ground realities are compared with promises in the party’s election manifesto, the Arvind Kejriwal government has performed well in a few departments. However, of the top five promises, the government has delivered only on one during these 700 days. Though promises such as Delhi Janlokpal Bill and CAG audit of power discoms have moved out of the secretariat and stuck at other places, full statehood, own power station, revival of the Yamuna etc. have seen zero ground work.

Also, during this tenure, Delhi Police arrested 11 MLAs and three ministers, including Somnath Bharti, Jitender Singh Tomar and Sandeep Kumar, and they were thrown out of the cabinet. It became a major embarrassment for the government.

Th

e AAP’s major vote bank—lower middle class and people living in slums—are happy with the government as Kejriwal has successfully managed to provide them free water and electricity. No rise in power tariff has added to their happiness. The government got acknowledgement across the world when colonies got mohalla clinics.

Currently, one of the major worries for the government is to deal with pollution issue in the city. To deal with the pollution, it introduced odd-even car rationing scheme but jury is still out whether it helped ease the pollution levels. Meanwhile, Delhi became one of the most polluted cities in the world prompting the High Court to call the capital a “gas chamber”. Just three months ago, the city’s PM10 graph reached an all-time high—1,700-mark (the safe limit is 100).However, if ground realities are compared with promises in the party’s election manifesto, the Arvind Kejriwal government has performed well in a few departments. However, of the top five promises, the government has delivered only on one during these 700 days.

Though promises such as Delhi Janlokpal Bill and CAG audit of power discoms have moved out of the secretariat and stuck at other places, full statehood, own power station, revival of the Yamuna etc. have seen zero ground work.

Also, during this tenure, Delhi Police arrested 11 MLAs and three ministers, including Somnath Bharti, Jitender Singh Tomar and Sandeep Kumar, and they were thrown out of the cabinet. It became a major embarrassment for the government.

The AAP’s major vote bank—lower middle class and people living in slums—are happy with the government as Kejriwal has successfully managed to provide them free water and electricity. No rise in power tariff has added to their happiness. The government got acknowledgement across the world when colonies got mohalla clinics.

Currently, one of the major worries for the government is to deal with pollution issue in the city. To deal with the pollution, it introduced odd-even car rationing scheme but jury is still out whether it helped ease the pollution levels. Meanwhile, Delhi became one of the most polluted cities in the world prompting the High Court to call the capital a “gas chamber”. Just three months ago, the city’s PM10 graph reached an all-time high—1,700-mark (the safe limit is 100).

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