Current status reports of major projects, bills pending with the Centre and medical infrastructure in Delhi hospitals are to be presented at every Cabinet meeting — Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has issued these instructions to Chief Secretary (CS) Anshu Prakash in a series of notes since March 24. The development comes amid the continuing standoff between the government and the bureaucracy over the alleged assault on Prakash by AAP MLAs. Sources said Kejriwal sent six notes to Prakash between March 24-26, even as the bureaucracy suspended all forms of communication, except written, with the ministers since the alleged assault. Sources said the notes are also part of the CM’s efforts to refocus attention on governance. Prakash has been asked to indicate the status of schemes or projects for which deadlines have been set in the Budget before each Cabinet meeting, and monitor their progress, as per the notes. If deadlines are missed, he will have to inform the Cabinet on steps being taken to ensure compliance of timelines, the notes state. Besides, he will also have to brief the Cabinet on the status of progress of initiatives such as the health card scheme; CCTV cameras across the city; infrastructure development in unauthorised colonies and rural villages; and polyclinics. The notes also said that the CS must apprise the Cabinet of the status of each bill pending with the Centre — including the Jan Lokpal Bill, Time Bound Public Services delivery Bill — and the efforts made by secretaries of the departments concerned with their counterparts in the Centre to get them cleared. Another note directs Prakash to submit reports of field visits undertaken by heads of departments, and public hearings they are supposed to hold between 10-11 am on weekdays. “The CS should ensure compliance and develop a system to cross check veracity,” it states.
