Page 2 - Kailash Gahlot

Excise policy case: ED summons Delhi govt minister Kailash Gahlot

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Delhi minister Kailash Gahlot for questioning on Saturday in connection with a money-laundering case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy for the capital, official sources said. Gahlot (49), an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Najafgarh, is the minister for transport, home and law in the Delhi government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has been arrested in the case by the federal agency. The sources said Gahlot has been asked to appear for questioning in the case and getting his statement recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped. AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh were arrested by the ED in the case earlier and they are in judicial custody.

Delhi govt notifies motor vehicle scheme, surge pricing not dealt with

The AAP government has notified the Delhi Motor Vehicle Aggregator and Delivery Service Provider Scheme 2023, paving the way for electric-only bike taxis to ply in the national capital and targeting a transition to electric mobility by 2030, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said on Wednesday. Gahlot said that as of now the government has not dealt with the issue of "surge pricing" imposed by the app-based cab aggregators but if complaints are received from people, rules will be framed. Addressing a press conference, the minister said it is for the first time in India that aggregator guidelines have also defined phase-wise electrification targets for these operators. "There has been a long need for licensing and regulating the aggregators in Delhi for smoother operations for Delhiites. India has set a target to achieve net zero (emissions) by 2070. This scheme is an initiative by the capital city towards the same. It is also the first time that we are allowing bike taxis to run in t

Delhi govt to notify Motor Vehicle scheme on Wednesday: Kailash Gahlot

The Delhi government will notify its 'Delhi Motor Vehicle Aggregator and Delivery Service Provider Scheme 2023' on Wednesday, said Delhi Transport minister Kailash Gahlot. The scheme stipulates all passenger, service delivery, and e-commerce aggregator platforms' vehicles to be electric vehicles after 2030. The minister said all existing and new aggregators will need to have a licence within 90 days of publication of the scheme's notification. The scheme will be notified later in the day, he said in a press conference. The minister said the Kejriwal government is the sole one in the country to have brought a scheme that introduces electric vehicles at such a large scale to combat pollution. Gahlot said that as of now the government has not dealt with the issue of "surge pricing" imposed by the app-based cab aggregators but if complaints are received from the people, rules will be framed.

Delhi govt released Rs 415 cr to NCRTC for RRTS project: Kailash Gahlot

The Delhi government has released a payment of Rs 415 crore to NCRTC for the RRTS project, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said on Friday. Earlier in the week, the Supreme Court had pulled up the Delhi government for not coming up with funds for the Regional Rapid Transit System corridors to Alwar and Panipat, warning it if the dues were not paid within a week, the funds allocated by the AAP government for ads will be transferred to the project. "The payment of Rs 415 crore has been made to the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) by the transport department today," Gahlot told PTI in a message. The government had released the first tranche of funds, approx Rs 80 crore, a few months back. The RRTS project involves construction of semi-high speed rail corridors connecting Delhi to Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Alwar in Rajasthan, and Panipat in Haryana. The apex court had earlier acknowledged the budgetary constraints the city government cited, but at the same time wa

Ministers will work to ensure implementation of control measures: Gopal Rai

Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Thursday said all ministers of the Delhi government will work at the ground level to ensure strict implementation of air pollution control measures in the national capital. Addressing a press conference here, Rai expressed concern over negligence on part of officers in the implementation of measures outlined in the Centre's air pollution control plan called Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). "We have now decided that all ministers will work at the ground level, they will conduct inspections and ensure strict implementation of all air pollution control measures," he said. While Rai will monitor the implementation of these steps in the North and Northeast districts of Delhi, Kailash Gehlot will conduct inspections in the Southwest and West districts. Atishi will be responsible for the East and Southeast districts, Saurabh Bharadwaj for the South and New Delhi districts, Imran Hussain for the Central and Shahdara districts and Raj Kumar Anand for the

Delhi govt inks pact with Switch Mobility for 950 low-floor e-buses

The Delhi government has inked an agreement with Switch Mobility for 950 low-floor electric buses. Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot told PTI that the 12-metre buses would start arriving within four to six months. These e-buses will be equipped with CCTV cameras, panic buttons and GPS devices, Gahlot said, adding that Delhi has the highest number of electric buses in the country. In a post on X, Delhi Transport Commissioner Ashish Kundra said, "Delhi Government signs an agreement with @SwitchMobility for 950 low-floor 12-meter electric buses under National bus programme." Switch Mobility is the electric vehicle division of Hinduja Group's flagship company Ashok Leyland.

Delhi govt may incentivise vehicle retrofitting under EV Policy 2.0: Gahlot

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Thursday said the Electric Vehicles Policy 2.0 will look at incentivising retrofitting of vehicles considering its high cost. In an interview to PTI, the minister said that since the new policy is in the works, they will extend the existing policy by six months or until the new one is ready. The Delhi Electric Vehicles Policy-2020 expired on August 8 this year and the government had said that the subsidy being given under it would continue till a new policy gets notified. "We are moving a cabinet note and within this week it should be finalised. The existing policy will be extended for six months or until the new policy is notified," he said. Talking about the new policy that is in the works, the minister said the one thing that they will look at is the concept of retrofitting. "People want to convert their IC (internal combustion) engines into electric ones. The process is expensive. For converting a normal Gypsy, it takes almost Rs 5-6

Registration of electric vehicles restarted in Delhi: Kailash Gahlot

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Wednesday announced that the registration of electric vehicles has been restarted and shared that the subsidy benefits of the existing policy will continue till a new one is notified. The Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy was released on August 7, 2020, and according to its clause 3.1, the policy "shall remain valid for a period of three years from the date of issue". The registration of new vehicles was stopped with the policy ending on August 7 this year. However, in an official communication, Gahlot said the process for extension of the electric vehicle policy has been started and the draft Cabinet note has been approved. On Wednesday, Gahlot tweeted, "The registration of electric vehicles at RTOs has been restarted. The subsidy benefits of the existing Delhi EV policy will continue till the new policy gets notified. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, we are committed to serve the citizens of Delhi." In May, the transp

Govt bans entry of heavy goods vehicles in Delhi as Yamuna swells

The Delhi government has banned the entry of heavy goods vehicles, barring those carrying essentials, in the city from four borders including Singhu as a precautionary measure in view of the rising Yamuna levels, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said on Thursday. Sharing a copy of the order issued by the Transport Department on Twitter, he said. "Entry of Heavy Goods Vehicles has been banned from Singhu Border, Badarpur Border, Loni Border and Chilla Border as a precautionary measure in view of abnormally rising water level of Yamuna River." "On the other hand, interstate buses coming from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand will stop at Singhu border instead of going to ISBT Kashmeri Gate," Gahlot said in a tweet in Hindi. There is no restriction on vehicles carrying essential services such as food and petroleum products, he added.

1,500 drivers write to Kailash Gahlot on Motor Vehicle Aggregator Scheme

Over 1,500 cab drivers have written to Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot and given suggestions on the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Scheme 2023. The scheme was approved by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal last month. Mandatory panic buttons in taxis, integration with emergency response number '112', and phase-wise transition to electric vehicles (EV) are some of the highlights of the scheme to regulate cab aggregators and delivery service providers in the national capital. In their petition, the drivers cited the higher cost of electric vehicles as compared to other vehicles. They have also demanded easy loan options to make the transition smoother. They have suggested that a scheme be launched to balance the costs of making the shift. The drivers have also requested the minister to make some provisions so that the vehicles come installed with panic buttons and extra costs to install them should not be borne by them.

Delhi govt plans EV festival to promote safe usage; drafts proposal: Report

The series of EV festivals will also bring stakeholders, which will include buyers, sellers, battery providers, and swapping agencies - for all segments of two, three, and four-wheelers

New bus queue shelters in Delhi to be vandal-proof: Kailash Gahlot

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot has said the new bus queue shelters with digital screens to display bus routes will be theft-proof and vandal-proof. Presenting the Delhi Budget 2023-24 in the assembly on Wednesday, the minister had announced the AAP government's plans to construct 1,400 new and modern bus queue shelters (BQS) across the national capital. "Besides providing a comfortable waiting area for bus commuters, these bus shelters will also have a static display of bus routes and digital screens displaying the arrival time of buses. In view of the G20 summit in Delhi, we will complete this work in a phased manner," he had said. Talking to PTI on Thursday, Gahlot noted that these shelters will be made vandal-proof among concerns over the safety of digital screens. "Those who need to steal will steal any which ways. But we will try and make it theft-proof and vandal-proof. Our buses have CCTV cameras and video recording systems, but they come in such a kind of casing t

Focus on last-mile connectivity in Delhi Budget for transport sector

A 'mohalla bus' scheme to ensure last mile-connectivity and development of three ISBTs with airport-like facilities were some of the key announcements made by Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot for the transport sector in the city budget on Wednesday. Presenting his first budget, Gahlot announced an allocation of over Rs 9,000 crore for the transport sector. Gahlot, who also holds the Transport portfolio, said a bus fleet comprising 10,480 buses will be ready in Delhi by 2025. The city currently has 7,319 buses. "Eighty per cent of these will be electric buses. A dedicated 'mohalla bus' scheme will be launched for last-mile connectivity in the city. As part of the scheme, 100 'mohalla' e-buses will be launched in 2023-24, while 2,180 will be inducted in next two years," he said. According to the government, this is the first time in Delhi that electric feeder buses will be plying in remote areas. "The anticipated expenditure for this massive induction plan of electric buses ove

Delhi Budget: Focus on infra; Rs 8,241 cr assistance to local bodies

Presenting the budget for the national capital, Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot said that it focuses on enhancing the city's infrastructure, sanitation and transportation facilities

Govt plans to remove all 3 landfill sites in Delhi in next 2 years: Gahlot

Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot on Wednesday announced that the government planned to remove all three landfill sites in the national capital in the next two years. Presenting the budget 2023-24, he said a loan of Rs 850 crore has been earmarked for the AAP-run Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for the removal of mountains of garbage. The three mountains of garbage are a black spot in Delhi's image. Though it is MCD's duty to tackle the garbage mountain for the people of Delhi, the Kejriwal government will work in tandem with MCD to tackle the issue. We will provide all possible support to ensure the end of these mountains," Gahlot said. The minister informed that the government plans to remove the Okhla landfill by December 2023, the Bhalswa landfill by March 2024 and Ghazipur landfill by December 2024. "Delhi government targets the removal of all three mountains of garbage in Delhi in just two years. Okhla landfill to be removed by December 2023, Bhalswa landfill by Marc

Kailash Gahlot presents Rs 78,800-cr Budget for 2023-24 in Delhi Assembly

Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot on Wednesday presented a Rs 78,800 crore budget in the Delhi Assembly for the financial year 2023-24. The Delhi government's budget size for 2022-23 was Rs 75,800 crore and Rs 69,000 crore in the previous year. This was the first time that Gahlot presented the budget after getting charge of the finance department following the resignation of deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia who was arrested by the CBI in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam case. "I would have been happier if it this budget was presented by Manish Sisodia who is like my elder brother. The budget is an expression of expectations and aspirations of the people," Gahlot said in his budget speech. The minister said the budget is dedicated to a clean, beautiful and modern Delhi. This is the ninth consecutive budget of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. "Every possible help will be given to the MCD to remove the three mountains of garbage in Delhi. We will connect all colon

Delhi govt tables Eco Survey, per capita income grew by 14.18% in 2022-23

The survey was tabled by Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot on Monday in the Assembly

Delhi Eco Survey: AAP govt's per capita income rises 14.18% to Rs 4,44,768

Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot on Monday tabled the Delhi Economic Survey in the Assembly. According to the survey report, the per capita income of Delhi at current prices reached at the level of Rs 3,89,529 in 2021-22 as compared to Rs 3,31,112 in 2020-21. "The Advance Estimate of Per Capita Income of Delhi at current prices during 2022-23 estimated at Rs 4,44,768 registering a growth of 14.18 per cent over the previous year," it said. Delhi's per capita income has always been around 2.6 times higher when compared to the national average, both at current and constant prices, it noted. "Overall economic activity in Delhi has recovered faster compared to the national level, past the pre-pandemic levels. In the years 2021-22 and 2022-23, a sharp recovery of real GSDP of Delhi with a growth of 9.14 per cent and 9.18 per cent, respectively is based on a low base effect and inherent strengths of the economy," it said. The Delhi government's revenue receipts consist of tax revenue, .

Rs 31,462.62 cr collected in taxes till Feb of this fiscal: Delhi FM Gahlot

The Delhi government collected Rs 31,462.62 crore in taxes till February of this financial year, including Rs 26,096.79 crore from GST, according to an official statement. Ahead of presenting the Budget for Delhi, Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot on Friday convened a meeting with senior officials of the Department of Trade and Taxes. He reviewed the budget preparations and discussed measures to promote trade in Delhi and analysed the efforts being made to augment revenue from tax collection in the city. In a statement, he said, "The Trade and Taxes department plays an important role in the government. The revenue collections in GST and VAT combined was more than Rs 27,000 crores in 2021-22. This year, we expect remarkable growth in the collection." Gahlot rued that in addition to tax detault, evasion is a big problem for any state. "Under Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the government wants to have a transparent system and is continuously working on identifying defaulters. Regular

Peak power demand in Delhi likely to reach 8,000 MW in late June-July

Delhi government's power department has predicted that the peak load of the national capital may reach 8000 MW in late June or early July, an official statement said on Monday. Cabinet Minister Kailash Gahlot chaired a series of separate meetings with the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Power department, said an official statement. He discussed and reviewed various projects of the PWD and the 'Summer Action Plan' of the Power department. Gahlot chaired a separate review meeting with Discoms and Power department officials to assess the 'Summer Action Plan' for the uninterrupted supply of electricity during the upcoming summer season in Delhi. Senior officers from Bombay Suburban Electric Supply (BSES) Rajdhani Power Ltd (BRPL) and Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL), TATA Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL), Delhi Transco Limited (DTL) and Power Department were part of the meeting. During the meeting, DTL highlighted that the peak load of 7,695 MW was reached in Delhi in June 2