Delhi govt to appoint advisors & OSDs for Cabinet Ministers
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership is in the process of finalising six key individuals to serve as Advisors and Officers on Special Duty (OSDs) to Cabinet Ministers in the Delhi government. These appointments, which are expected to play a crucial role in the administration, are being closely scrutinised as various party functionaries vie for the coveted positions.
Officials indicate that intense lobbying is underway within BJP circles, with several leaders pushing for their preferred candidates to be placed in the Delhi Secretariat. In addition to these Advisors and OSDs, each minister will also be assigned a senior officer from the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS), a move that underscores the administration’s focus on strengthening governance.
With Chief Minister Rekha Gupta now at the helm following the BJP’s landslide victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, her government faces significant challenges in fulfilling its electoral promises while ensuring a streamlined administration. After nearly three decades of political absence in the Capital, the BJP is now tasked with addressing governance gaps and tackling allegations of financial irregularities that emerged under the AAP regime.
One of the most pressing concerns for the new government is the free bus ride scheme for women, which has reportedly been marred by inflated bills and financial mismanagement amounting to crores. While the BJP has committed to continuing the scheme, it
must also implement mechanisms to prevent misuse and leakages in the system.
The BJP’s strategy in appointing Advisors to Ministers follows a model previously seen in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. Under former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, numerous party members were appointed as OSDs and in other supporting roles for ministers, leading
to a strong presence of political appointees at the Delhi
Secretariat. In contrast, the governance style of former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit relied more on a dedicated bureaucracy rather than party functionaries, which ensured smoother administration despite the political opposition at the Centre.
The six-member Cabinet, along with their Advisors and secretaries, will have to hit the ground running, focusing on key areas such as improving departmental efficiency, enhancing public services, and identifying new development initiatives. The administration will also need to undertake large-scale reforms to rectify irregularities inherited from the previous government.
As these appointments take shape, bureaucrats are expected to keep a close watch on how the Advisors function within the new governance structure. The coming months will be crucial in determining whether the BJP’s approach can bring about the robust administration and effective governance that Delhi voters were promised.
