Atishi unfurls national flag at Republic Day function in Delhi

The Delhi government observes it on January 25 because a separate parade for the state can’t be held on January 26 due to security reasons

Chief minister Atishi on Saturday unfurled the national flag at Delhi’s Republic Day event at north Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium in Model Town, where she elaborated on the work done by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Delhi government, followed by a series of performances and parade.

Delhi chief minister Atishi attends Republic Day celebrations at Chhatrasal Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

The Delhi government observes Republic Day on January 25 because a separate parade for state celebration cannot be held in Delhi on January 26 due to security reasons. The ceremony is also attended by Delhi government ministers and senior officials.

In the run up to the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, Atishi on Saturday said that around 1.1 million women benefit from the free bus travel scheme in the Capital everyday, increasing their participation in the economy. “Delhi is the only state government that spends 25% of its budget on children’s education and their future. We are working towards realising their dream and today, children coming from downtrodden households are entering IIT-AIIMS after studying in Delhi’s government school,”she said.

Further, she talked about 24x7 electricity and the infrastructure that the AAP has worked on. “Delhi stands as a model for uninterrupted 24-hour electricity, even during this year’s (2024) record-breaking heat waves when power grids failed across the country…In the past decade, 38 flyovers have been constructed across Delhi — in Punjabi Bagh, Anand Vihar, Ashram, Signature Bridge, and Wazirabad. The metro network has expanded to 450km, connecting every corner of Delhi,” the CM said.

Atishi then moved on to speak about Delhi’s GDP in the past 10 years. “I don’t think there is any other state in the country where the economy has grown so much in a short span. Delhi is the only state where per capita income is over ₹4 lakh, which is 2.5 times the national average. This progress in Delhi reflects the dreams of our freedom fighters and Babasaheb Ambedkar, who gave us the right to vote and choose our government,” she said.