Govt’s criteria: Peace, progress and cooperation

Dikshit said: “We are fully aware of the responsibility that the huge mandate brings with it and the faith the people have reposed in us. We will try to run a progressive, sympathetic government”.

Her promises of good governance sounded much like the Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah’s statement after he was sworn-in as CM a year ago after a resounding victory.

But Dikshit exuded a new kind of confidence. When quizzed on the price rise, she said that she is meeting civil supplies officials. “We have to improve the distribution network. Strict action will be taken against anyone involved in hoarding and black-marketing and artificially hiking the prices,” she said. Dikshit also clarified the Congress stand regarding full statehood to Delhi. “We are not going to demand statehood. It is not a pressing problem. We do not want to take on a confrontationist attitude with the Centre”.

She seemed to have her script ready today. Talking about the regularisation of unauthorised colonies, she said: “Apart from the regularisation of unauthorised and resettlement colonies, we also want to change the hell-like living conditions of the juggi jhopdis by providing basic civic amenities”. As for the delay in the allocation of portfolios, she said: “I am trying to do it in a logical, scientific manner. It might take a day or two.” She said that the ministers were chosen to give representation to every section of the society. The choice was also determined by their educational qualifications and honest image. Asked whether the image of some senior Congress candidates, who were demanding cabinet berths but had not been accommodated, were not clean, Dikshit protested: “Don’t put words into my mouth”.

On the problem areas of governance, she said: “There are problems, lots of duality of authority. Please, give us a little time and the people of Delhi will the see difference of a Congress government”.

She identified the priority areas on which the government has to take immediate action — traffic, pollution, transport, electricity, land — “Its a long list,” she said. “Law and order is the other serious problem in Delhi. We will fully cooperate with the Home Ministry on this front. I have already asked for an appointment with the Home Minister tomorrow”.

The CM then addressed the senior officers of the Delhi Government. She exhorted the officers to get down to work and use their expertise, experience and talent to achieve the desired results, which was the need of the hour. She said she did not believe in politicising the bureacracy. For her, witch-hunting is not a part of her governance.