NEW DELHI: The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) approved significant amendments to recruitment rules for multiple cadres in its first Council Meeting since the Delhi elections. The meeting was initially presided over by New Delhi Member of Parliament (MP) Bansuri Swaraj, who also administered the oath of office to three newly inducted members—Delhi Public Works Department (PwD) Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, Virender Singh Kadian, and Ravi Kumar Arora.
NDMC Vice Chairman Kuljeet Singh Chahal was also present at the oath-taking ceremony. Following the event, Verma highlighted key initiatives discussed during the council meeting, including the installation of 9,000 new water connections over the next six to eight months to address water shortages in 34 slum clusters, benefiting approximately 4,700 residents. He also mentioned the formation of a committee to promote renewable energy, particularly solar panel installations, and a proposal for NDMC to procure cheaper electricity for consumer benefit.
Verma further announced measures to tackle waterlogging in the Capital, stating that NDMC has instructed officials to implement a summer action plan involving desilting and water harvesting solutions. Additionally, he assured that an encroachment drive will be carried out to ensure clean and clear roads in NDMC areas. NDMC approved changes to the recruitment regulations for the Vaccinator Cadre, which includes the posts of Vaccinator, Inspector, and Vaccination Superintendent. The existing rules, framed in 1972 and 1973, have now been updated to meet current requirements. The recruitment rules for NDMC’s Public Relations Cadre, last updated in 2008, have been revised to introduce new designations: Joint Director (Information and Publicity), Assistant Director (Information and Publicity), Information and Publicity Officer, and Information and Publicity Assistant. The revised rules also specify additional eligibility criteria for promotion to the positions of assistant director and joint director.
Addressing the demand for Veterinary & Livestock Inspectors in NDMC veterinary hospitals, the council approved the formalisation of recruitment rules for these positions. Previously, appointments were made based on administrator-approved rules before 1994, which were never officially gazetted. The revised rules align with Department of Personnel & Training (DoP&T) guidelines and reference similar government organisation standards. In addition to recruitment reforms, Verma emphasised the BJP-led government’s commitment to urban development.
He noted that the Yamuna cleaning drive has been intensified post-election, with 1,300 metric tons of waste already removed from the river. NDMC officials recently conducted a review meeting to assess progress and plan future conservation efforts.