L-G Najeeb Jung urges Centre to clear Delhi’s legislative bills

L-G Najeeb Jung on Tuesday urged the Centre to clear pending legislative bills sent by the Delhi assembly for approval.

Lieutenant-governor (L-G) Najeeb Jung on Tuesday urged the Centre to clear pending legislative bills sent by the Delhi assembly for approval.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal greets L-G Najeeb Jung on the first day of the budget session of the Delhi assembly. (Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)

The L-G, the constitutional head of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, reports directly to the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Centre. The AAP government and the Centre have been in a continued slugfest over key issues, including administrative jurisdiction.

In his address to the lawmakers on the first day of the budget session, Jung outlined the government’s achievements in his speech. He especially touched upon education, health and transport sectors, and spoke about anti-graft reforms.

The L-G’s speech for the occasion is prepared by the state government and cleared by the cabinet.

“My government is awaiting approval of the Government of India for the enactment of these proposed legislations,” he said, referring to bills on transparency and equality in the schools.

At least 14 legislative bills related to education reforms, MLAs’ salaries and Janlokpal are pending with the Centre since last year.

Jung told reporters the government’s achievements over the past year were “bemisaal (exceptional)”.

Education

Jung spoke about last year’s proposals to build 25 school buildings, 7,289 classrooms, 700 toilet blocks in existing schools and identifying 54 schools to be transformed into model schools.

“To prevent manipulation in the admission process, for the first time the directorate of education is conducting a centralised online lottery, based on neighbourhood criterion in schools of the Capital for nursery admissions under Economically Weaker Section category,” Jung said.

Health

Jung hailed the decision to establish 1,000 new Mohalla clinics, 100 polyclinics, increasing beds in government hospitals, waiving of diagnostic charges, providing free medicines, and health insurance scheme for all residents.

Transport

The L-G listed the government’s proposals to induct 1,000 new low-floor buses and e-ticketing machines in all DTC buses from June 2016.

After Jung’s speech, transport minister Gopal Rai moved a motion of thanks. Rai, in his speech, said the main reason behind the AAP government’s “unprecedented success” was its “honesty”. The upcoming budget will “only take this forward”, he said.