Graft helpline, Jan Lokpal to get priority in AAP government

NEW DELHI: On the day of his swearing-in on December 28, 2013, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had promised Delhi a corruption-free life and announced an anti-bribery helpline with quick redressal. In the 49 days that followed, the Aam Aadmi Party government made announcements, set up committees, gave a power subsidy and free water and tried to push through two legislations - Jan Lokpal and Swaraj. A year later an AAP government is likely to resume work from where it left.

Fighting corruption remains AAP's top priority - it was the dominant theme of the 49-day AAP government. A helpline was launched to allow people to make complaints with evidence against officials seeking bribes. It functioned with the help of enthusiastic AAP volunteers and was to be made a key feature under the purview of the Anti-Corruption Branch. After the AAP government resigned, the helpline lost its primacy. It was later revived by the LG. Operational in ACB with the number 1031, it has received only about 100 calls since June last year.

To fulfil its promise of slashing power bills by half, the AAP government had given a 50% subsidy on the per unit rate for consumers up to 400 units This attracted a lot of criticism as the government was seen to be resorting to populism by taking the subsidy route instead of undertaking any real reforms to bring down power tariff. Kejirwal also set the cat among the pigeons by seeking a CAG audit of the discoms to nail the private companies and give consumers relief. Similarly, free water up to 20 kilolitres was also promised.

A controversial issue that dominated the previous tenure was the AAP government's promise to regularize contract labour in its manifesto. With lakhs of employees, mostly safai karamcharis, on contract, this issue became a political hot potato. The entire tenure of the government was marked by scenes of protests by contract workers - guest teachers, DTC employees and many others engaged on contract by the state. The government had set up a committee on this.

A review of Delhi State Subordinate Service Selection Board was conducted to assess the pendency of recruitment and fix a timeframe for filling up regular vacancies. The report which was submitted after the government resigned now awaits action.

The AAP government - in continuation of its anti-corruption agenda - had tried to get the Jan Lokpal Bill cleared to bring in a strong anti-corruption watchdog. However, Kejriwal ran into trouble with the Opposition as he refused to refer the Bill to the Centre. The LG too showed the rule book to him but the CM didn't relent, preferring to sacrifice his government on the issue. This time the majority government is expected to take up the Bill on priority basis.

The other legislation awaiting action is the Swaraj Bill which proposes to empower the common man with decision-making powers through mohalla sabhas. This Bill was passed in haste by the cabinet and ran into criticism for not being put through an open public review considering it pertained to Swaraj. However, while the draft Bill was passed by cabinet, it could not make it to the assembly.