LG directs DMs to spend a night at Delhi’s villages

The LG’s orders came after he held consultations with over 500 villagers from 180 Delhi villages at Raj Niwas to discuss the problems that they face.

Lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena on Tuesday directed all district magistrates in Delhi to spend the night at villages in the Capital to get a first-hand account of the problems faced by the residents there.

Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena. (HT Photo)

Saxena said his directions are in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to take the government to the doorsteps of people. “Taking forward Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi Ji’s call to take “Govt at doorstep”, instructed DMs of Delhi to spend nights in all the villages to understand their issues better and expressed my willingness to do the same,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The LG’s orders came after he held consultations with over 500 villagers from 180 Delhi villages at Raj Niwas to discuss the problems that they face. The session was organised by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) under the “Dilli Gramoday Abhiyan”, launched by the LG for the development of Delhi’s villages.

“The first of its kind engagement with the villagers at Raj Niwas was aimed at seeking suggestions, ideas to chalk out a comprehensive plan of action for development of Delhi’s villages and thus making the villagers a key stakeholder in the development of urbanised as well as rural villages,” an official in the LG’s office said.

During the interaction many village representatives said their villages lack even basic amenities such as sewer network, roads, parks, schools, hospitals and clean drinking water.

“The LG, who patiently heard their grievances, lamented that in the past nine years, these villages were completely neglected and no futuristic development work was carried out ,” the official said.

Meanwhile, Delhi development minister Gopal Rai said after the arrival of Kejriwal government in Delhi, rapid development work took place in the villages.

“No other government till date has done as much for the development of Delhi’s villages as the Kejriwal government. There has been an increase in the construction of roads, drains and procession houses in the villages through Delhi Rural Development Board,” said Rai.

Saxena, who has already adopted five villages — Qutabgarh, Jaunti, Daurala, Rawta and Nizampur — said all villages will be developed by DDA on similar lines with the help of ₹800 crore in aid. “This is in addition to ₹480 crore of village development fund that has already been sanctioned for carrying out development works in 180 villages,” the LG said.

Saxena also urged the villagers to avail of government schemes to set up their small manufacturing units that will boost village industries and create employment opportunities locally.