50 files cleared but governance suffers

NEW DELHI: Arvind Kejriwal was out on a dharna on Monday and some important meetings had to be called off. But even as he protested, the CM cleared about 50 files at the venue.
In the morning, the CM was briefed on an important NCR planning board meet, but he skipped it. The CM’s presence here was important, for the meet was to discuss the final NCR plan, Union urban development minister Kamal Nath and Haryana CM Bhupinder Hooda were attending it.Two secretary-level officers represented Delhi government. Another key meeting that got rescheduled was at Haryana Bhawan with Hooda. The two CMs were to discuss water supply to Delhi.
Officers said the CM and most ministers were at work by 8.15am to ensure routine work got underway. And even as the high-octane drama played out near Rail Bhawan, files were sent to the CM for clearance. Cabinet minister Manish Sisodia too signed off on 20-odd files. Some departmental secretaries accompanied ministers to the protest venue.
As per the day’s schedule, labour and SC/ST minister Girish Soni was to visit a metro inspection site in the noon, which was called off. Soni was to see an SC/ST department presentation that got cancelled.
Women and child welfare minister Rakhi Birla’s inspections and public grievance meeting was called off. Nirmala Devi, a 50-year-old widow had come from Jahangirpuri to meet her with a pension-related complaint. She was sent away from the reception because the minister was out protesting.
Government sources said education, urban development and PWD minister Sisodia, transport minister Saurabh Bhardwaj, health minister Satyendra Jain and law minister Somnath Bharti had rescheduled their meetings in advance anticipating their occupation with Monday’s protest.