Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who assumed office earlier on Thursday, chaired her first Cabinet meeting and made two key announcements. The first was the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme in Delhi, which will include a Rs 5 lakh top-up, fulfilling a BJP pre-poll promise. The second decision involved tabling 14 pending Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports in the first Assembly session.
In a press briefing, Gupta also revealed the portfolios of her council of ministers. She emphasized that the Delhi government would implement the Centre’s flagship health scheme, addressing the BJP’s prior criticism of the AAP government for not enacting it. Additionally, Gupta promised to fulfill the BJP’s electoral pledge to present the CAG reports, which had been delayed under the AAP administration.
“We discussed and passed two major agendas in the first Cabinet meeting – to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme in Delhi with an additional Rs 5 lakh top-up and to table the 14 CAG reports during the first Assembly sitting,” Gupta said, reaffirming the BJP’s commitment to its promises. She also noted that the Delhi government would fund the top-up and would sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre.
Regarding the promise made by the BJP to provide Rs 2,500 per month to women, as pointed out by AAP leader Atishi, Gupta stated, “It’s our government, and we will set the agenda.” She added that Atishi should not dictate their actions, as she had already fulfilled her duties when in power.
Atishi, reacting to the Cabinet meeting, had hoped that the BJP government would fulfill its election promise and provide Rs 2,500 to Delhi women starting from March 8, International Women’s Day. She emphasized that every woman in Delhi was waiting for the BJP to honor this commitment.
The BJP’s election manifesto included promises to implement Ayushman Bharat to provide affordable healthcare, with free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh. The party had committed to adding another Rs 5 lakh cover for all poor families in Delhi.
Later in the day, Gupta and other BJP leaders participated in an aarti on the banks of the Yamuna, pledging to prioritize the cleanup of the river. BJP Delhi Chief Virendra Sachdeva echoed this commitment, emphasizing that cleaning the Yamuna was a priority for the new government.
Yamuna pollution had been a significant issue during the elections, with political rivals accusing each other of neglecting the problem. The BJP had promised to prioritize cleaning the river, which had been a major point of contention with the AAP government.
Gupta, a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, was sworn in as Delhi’s Chief Minister in a grand ceremony at Ramlila Maidan. She was appointed to the position after the BJP won a resounding victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, securing 48 seats out of 70.
During the ceremony, Gupta took the oath of office alongside six other ministers: Parvesh Verma, Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Ravinder Indraj Singh, Kapil Mishra, and Pankaj Kumar Singh. The event was attended by several prominent political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, among others.
Gupta’s official portfolio includes General Administration, Services, Finance, Revenue, Women and Child Development, Land and Building, Information and Public Relations, Vigilance, Administrative Reforms, and Planning. Other ministers were assigned various portfolios, including Public Works, Legislative Affairs, Power, Urban Development, Social Welfare, Law and Justice, and Health.
The day concluded with Gupta assuming charge at the Delhi Secretariat, marking the beginning of her tenure as the city’s new Chief Minister. She is the second woman to hold this office in Delhi, after Sushma Swaraj, and the fourth woman overall.
