Delhi Cabinet eases process for release of monthly pensions

NEW DELHI - The Delhi Cabinet on Monday announced several major decisions to make the grant of monthly pensions and the issuance of licenses for the opening of a restaurant with a bar easier.

The cabinet also gave its approval in principle for the setting up of a 750-megawatt gas-based power plant at Bamnauli.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit presided over the cabinet meeting.

Briefing media after the meeting, Dikshit said the Departments of Social Welfare and Women and Child Development have been facing difficulties in verification of applications received for grant of old age pension, widow pension and handicapped pension due to inadequate number of Anganwadi workers.

This had resulted in the delay of sanctions and the repeated visits by the applicants in government offices.

She said that in view of the hardships and inconvenience being faced by the aged, widows and handicapped persons, the state government had decided to modify the process.

The cabinet has now decided that pensions will be released from the month succeeding the month of application by the beneficiaries.

Dikshit said that with implementation of this decision, pensioners would not suffer processing delays.

She described this decision as a major step towards ensuring welfare schemes in true spirit, logical and humanitarian.

On the gas project in Bamnauli, she said the cabinet has decided in principle to award the contract to BHEL on a negotiated rate.

She said the negotiations with BHEL would help in incorporating suitable clauses in contract to avoid future delays and roadblocks.

The Cabinet has also approved appointment of NTPC as the project management consultant on terms and conditions similar to the Bawana project.

Dikshit said that the gas-based power project is being set up, as there is no scope for setting up a coal-based project in Delhi due to environment concerns.

Once commissioned, the Bamnauli project would help in the supply of quality and uninterrupted power to IGI Airport, Dwarka and other nearby localities apart from making New Delhi a surplus power city, she said.

On the grant of licenses for restaurants with bars, Dikshit said that the state tourism department would be the nodal department for facilitating this grant.

At present, all restaurants intending to operate in Delhi need a health trade license from the MCD/NDMC/Delhi Cantonment Board, an eating house registration from the police department and an NOC from the fire department.

In case of standalone restaurants, in addition to all above-stated approvals, an approval from tourism department is also required before seeking license from the excise department. By Rajesh Gaur (ANI)