Chief Minister Rekha Gupta made a big announcement on Friday and said Delhi will get a new secretariat. She said preparations are being made to bring all the departments in one complex and added that the government is busy looking for a new place. She made the announcement after visiting the Women and Child Development Department office at Kashmere Gate.
The chief minister flagged the dilapidated condition of the building and hit out at the AAP dispensation over the state of affairs.
"I am coming to this office for the first time. It is saddening to see that our officers work in this kind of a building. The fans can fall off any moment and the roof is leaking," she rued as she inspected the department's office.
Attacking the previous AAP government in Delhi, she recalled that there was a fire at this building in 2021 yet no repairs were carried out.
"Theirs was an educated government. They spent crores of rupees on building Sheesh Mahal but did not do anything to improve the condition of government offices,” Gupta said.
“Today, looking at the condition of this office, I am saddened. They could have Rs 2-3 crore to improve the condition of this building,” the chief minister charged.
From today itself, we will begin the process for identifying a location for a new secretariat where all departments can be housed, she added.
Earlier in the day, she wielded a broom to kick off the Delhi government's month-long cleanliness drive 'Dilli Ko Kude Se Azaadi'.
As part of the campaign she visited the Women and Child Development department. "I am coming to this office for the first time. It is saddening to see that our officers work in this kind of a building. The fans can fall off any moment and the roof is leaking," she rued as she inspected the department's office at Kashmiri Gate.
CM Gupta visited every nook and corner of the office, cleared e-waste, threw away old posters and files and swept the dirty area using a broom.
"There was a fire at this building in 2021 yet no repairs were carried out," she added.
Hitting out at the previous AAP government in Delhi, she said they "spent crores of rupees on building Sheesh Mahal" but did not do anything to improve the condition of government offices.
"Today, looking at the condition of this office, I am saddened. From today itself, we will begin the process for a new Secretariat where all departments can be housed. We will identify a site for building a new Secretariat," she added.
Talking about the campaign, she said it began with all departments cleaning their offices. "We removed e-waste, old files and junk that was lying here. We also need to relook at rules governing tenders for waste removal," she said.
