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Vishal Kant

Vishal Kant works as an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times. He tracks developments in Aam Aadmi Party and Delhi government. Vishal has spent about a decade covering the city politics and governance, besides writing on Delhi’s civic issues, urban transport and infrastructure.

Articles by Vishal Kant

MCD election: Delhi poll panel asks govt to drop ‘Aam’ from hoardings, party cries foul

Delhi state election commission has directed the Arvind Kejriwal government and the municipal corporations to remove the word ‘Aam’ from all government project hoardings in the Capital.

Delhi government runs 150 Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics across the city.(Virendra Singh Gosain/HT Photo)

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Updated on Mar 24, 2017 07:47 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

MCD elections: Stage set for pitched battle in Delhi after UP, Punjab results

Voting trends in Delhi show that the same group could vote differently in different elections. The Congress, led by Sheila Dikshit, won the 2003 and 2008 assembly elections comfortably, but the same electorate voted BJP to power in the municipal corporations in 2007 and 2012.

People queue up to cast their votes in the Delhi municipal bypolls in east Delhi on May15, 2016.(Arun Sharma/HT Photo)

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Updated on Mar 27, 2017 10:52 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

DDA housing plan: L-G Baijal says set deadline for 1981 Rohini scheme

While 11000 allotees were given allotment letters under the scheme in 2015 following court intervention, about 14000 allottees, for whom the Supreme Court had set July 2016 as final deadline, are still waiting to get possession of their land for over 35 years after the scheme was launched by the agency.

L-G Anil Baijal has asked DDA to set final deadline for allottees of Rohini housing scheme of 1981.(PTI)

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Updated on Mar 20, 2017 11:29 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

MCD polls: AAP’s purvanchali MLAs to run campaign in areas dominated by community

Ahead of the crucial municipal corporation elections in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party will focus on retaining its vote bank in the purvanchali community, who are migrants from Bihar and eastern UP. It will also try to offset the campaign by new Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari, who belongs to the region.

Kapil Mishra (left) and Gopal Rai (right) both Delhi cabinet ministers are from the purvanchal region. In the current house, AAP has nearly a dozen MLAs who hail from Purvanchal (region with parts of Bihar and eastern UP).(Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)

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Updated on Mar 21, 2017 05:58 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

MCD polls to be held on April 22, ballot boxes may be a tough call: Delhi EC

Delhi state election commission announced that polls to the three municipal corporations will be conducted on April 22. The votes will be counted three days later.

The Delhi state election commission on Tuesday announced the dates for polls to the three municipal corporations, bringing into effect the model code of conduct.(AFP FILE)

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Updated on Apr 19, 2017 10:10 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

After Punjab and Goa setback, can AAP hold fort in Delhi municipal elections?

The municipal elections are likely to be held in the second half of April, though dates are still be announced. This will be the AAP’s first full-fledged foray in the Delhi civic elections.

AAP makes its full-fledged debut in the Delhi civic elections scheduled for next month. The Bharatiya Janata Party presently rules the north, south and east municipal corporations.

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Updated on Mar 21, 2017 05:46 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

MCD polls: AAP launches its tried and tested door-to-door campaign

Civic polls in the city are scheduled for April, but dates are still to be announced.

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Updated on Mar 21, 2017 05:45 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

No tall ideas, Delhi budget realistic, achievable, says Kejriwal

Unlike last year, when the government came up with big ticket ideas such as Swaraj Fund, the budget this year was more about enlisting the achievements of the government

Sisodia on Wednesday presented Delhi’s third consecutive budget, which was laced with couplets and sarcasm that targeted the Centre for demonetisation.(Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

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Updated on Mar 09, 2017 12:00 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

L-G rejects Rs 1-cr aid to OROP suicide victim’s family, Delhi govt cries foul

Anil Baijal rejected the proposal on March 6 because the “death did not occur in the line of duty, as mandated under the existing policy”. This is the first major decision of the Kejriwal government to be rejected by the lieutenant-governor, who has cleared a slew of files that were stuck since Najeeb Jung’s tenure.

Ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal allegedly committed suicide in November last year over the non-implementation of the One Rank One Pension scheme.(AFP File)

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Updated on Apr 19, 2017 11:09 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

Delhi budget imposes no new taxes, focuses on education and healthcare

The Delhi government on Wednesday consolidated its pro-poor policies with a major thrust on revamping school education and healthcare, proposing to spend one-fourth of Delhi’s Rs 48,000-crore budget on the social sector over the next financial year.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and finance minister Manish Sisodia before presenting the Delhi budget 2017-18 in New Delhi on Wednesday.(Sonu Mehta/HT photo)

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Updated on Mar 09, 2017 03:50 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

Delhi budget session: Baijal’s speech silent on Centre-state conflict

The five-day Budget session of the Delhi Assembly began on Monday with the address of Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, his first speech to the legislative House since assuming office in December last year.

Lieutenant governor Anil Baijal addresses the Delhi Assembly on the first day of its five-day Budget session at Delhi Secretariat in New Delhi on Monday.(PTI)

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Updated on Mar 07, 2017 01:05 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

Delhi L-G lauds AAP govt’s achievements in first address to assembly

Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal talked about Arvind Kejriwal government’s achievements in health, education such as Mohalla clinics and programme to improve learning among Delhi government school students

Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal addressed the Delhi assembly(Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

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Updated on Apr 19, 2017 11:09 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

The longest session of Delhi Assembly will end tomorrow with beginning of Budget 2017 session

Delhi Assembly’s fifth session, Budget Session, will begin on Monday. The last session, the fourth held in six parts, was the longest in the history of Delhi Legislative Assembly. In the fresh session, finance minister Manish Sisodia will present the budget, after the address by L-G Anil Baijal

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia at a press conference.(Ravi Choudhary/HT Photo)

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Published on Mar 05, 2017 09:10 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

Delhi Assembly Budget session begins Monday, to be live streamed on Facebook

The five-day Budget session will begin with the address of Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. In view of the likely implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST), no new tax proposals may be proposed in the budget by finance minister Manish Sisodia

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with his deputy and finance minister Manish Sisodia.(Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

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Updated on Mar 05, 2017 11:08 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

‘Jung’ over: Delhi L-G Baijal clears third major AAP govt proposal in a month

Hiking the minimum wages is the third proposal of AAP government cleared by L-G Anil Baijal in a month. These proposals were either pending with his office since the tenure of his predecessor Najeeb Jung or were returned by Jung for reconsideration.

This is the third such decision by Baijal in a month to clear proposals of the AAP government, which were either pending with its office since the tenure of his predecessor Najeeb Jung or were returned by Jung for reconsideration.(PTI)

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Updated on Apr 19, 2017 11:09 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

Delhi govt to seek clarity from Supreme Court over order to shut liquor vends along highways

The Supreme Court on December 15 had banned all liquor shops within 500 metres of national and state highways across the country, a move aimed at reducing drink driving and road accidents that claim thousands of lives every year.

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Updated on Mar 03, 2017 10:43 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

Kejriwal slams BJP, Cong in video: ‘What have you done for MCD in 20 years?’

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has challenged the BJP and the Congress to name at least one ‘outstanding’ work that they executed while they were in power in the city’s municipal corporations during the past two decades.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal with his deputy Manish Sisodia at the launch of Delhi government's

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Updated on Mar 21, 2017 05:30 PM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByVishal Kant

Pay hike: Kejriwal govt increases Delhi guest teachers’ salaries after L-G’s nod

In a big pay hike to guest teachers working in Delhi govt schools, L-G Anil Baijal has approved the Cabinet decision to increase their salaries by up to 100 per cent.

Guest teachers protesting outside Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence at Civil Lines in 2016.(Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)

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Updated on Mar 03, 2017 04:31 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

Delhi budget unlikely to have any new tax proposals this year

With municipal elections scheduled within a month after the budget is announced, both the city residents and opposition parties are looking up to the budgetary announcements.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia speaks during the Delhi Budget at the Delhi Vidhan Sabha in 2016. (Photo by DIP)

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Updated on Mar 01, 2017 11:22 PM IST

HIndustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

Kejriwal meets L-G, demands action against ABVP

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said lieutenant governor Anil Baijal assured him that a proper probe will be conducted in the violence at Ramjas College on February 22.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal met lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal on Tuesday.(Ravi Choudhary/HT Photo)

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Updated on Feb 28, 2017 05:16 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

AAP-led Delhi govt eases norms for senior citizens to boot heirs off property

Elderly parents can now throw out their abusive and greedy children from a “self-acquired” home by simply complaining to the deputy commissioner, rather than going to police or filing a lawsuit which is a time-sapping process.

The Delhi government has amended the rules for the maintenance and welfare of parents and senior citizens, allowing them to complain to the deputy commissioner of police directly in case of their properties being ‘self-acquired’ by their children.(Virendra Singh Gosain/HT File Photo)

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Updated on Feb 27, 2017 01:53 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByVishal Kant

Delhi govt waits for L-G nod, reallocates Rs 350 cr to Citizen fund

The Aam Aadmi Party government has decided to allocate ₹350 crore as Swaraj Fund in the budget for the next financial year, even as an equal amount under the same head is all set to lapse in the current financial year because it could not be utilised

Mohalla sabhas is one of the flagship projects of the AAP government, aimed at decentralisation of governance by ensuring citizen participation in decision making.(Arun Sharma/HT PHOTO)

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Updated on Feb 20, 2017 05:48 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

Delhi: Rebel AAP legislators Puskhar, Shehrawat may be in trouble for addressing rallies against party

Senior AAP leaders said they have received complaints against the two MLAs from people in their respective constituencies

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Updated on Feb 18, 2017 09:35 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

Two years of AAP govt: For Delhi’s unauthorised colonies, change only on paper

The AAP government initiated changes to enable legalisation and ownership of property in the unauthorised colonies of Delhi but residents say that has not translated into better amenities.

East Azad Nagar was authorised four years but the area still has poor civic amenities.(Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

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Updated on Feb 14, 2017 10:35 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

With broom, AAP now eyes clean sweep at Delhi’s municipal corporation polls

While broom is the symbol of AAP, the party intends to keep the larger narrative of the civic polls around the ‘performance’ of BJP-ruled MCDs over the past decade, especially the ‘garbage-crisis’ that has hit the city over the past few years due to the strike by municipal staff.

Municpal elections are likely to be held in the latter half of April. This will be AAP’s first full-fledged contest in Delhi’s three municipal corporations after making an impressive debut in municipal bypolls last year.(Arun Sharma/ HT photo)

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Updated on Mar 21, 2017 05:19 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

Plan to turn Delhi’s Bijwasan, Shakurbasti railway stations into mega terminals

To reduce the rush at four major railway stations, Bijwasan and Shakurbasti stations in south-west Delhi are being developed into mega passenger terminals. These stations will mostly serve to west India-bound trains.

Bijwasan stations is being developed into the first transit interchange facility in the south-western part of the Capital, integrated with other modes of mass transit.(Sushil Kumar/HT PHOTO)

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Updated on Feb 06, 2017 11:03 AM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

Budget 2017: Pilot waste-to-energy plant at Delhi railway station to operate by June

Finance minister Arun Jaitley had mention the upcoming waste-to-energy plant at Delhi railway station as a pilot project on the lines of which five more plants will be developed.

The railways had decided to set up the waste-to-energy plant at New Delhi railway station last year, following directions from the National Green Tribunal.(HT FILE)

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Published on Feb 01, 2017 02:54 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

Inspired by Beijing, railways going green to improve Delhi’s ‘first look’

The Northern Railways is developing green patches along the tracks approaching four major stations of the Capital. This will improve the first look of the city and give the passengers a positive and welcoming view.

Railway tracks approaching Beijing station are full of greenery. Inspired by the Beijing railway station, the Northern Railways is developing green patches along the tracks approaching the four major city stations — New Delhi, Old Delhi, Nizamuddin and Anand Vihar.

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Updated on Jan 31, 2017 10:05 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

5 MPs give over Rs 5cr from their development fund for railway stations

The local area development fund of members of Parliament (MP LAD) fund has turned out to be very favourable for the Indian Railways as five of the seven city MPs have together allocated Rs5.35 crore from their funds over the past two years for infrastructure development at different, major and local, railway stations across the city, besides augmenting civic facilities in railway colonies.

MP Meenakshi Lekhi inaugurates an open gym at the Minto Road Railway Colony.

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Updated on Jan 29, 2017 11:58 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

Kofi Annan lauds AAP’s Mohalla Clinics project, suggests reforms

Former UN Secretary General writes to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, says Aam Aadmi Party government’s mohalla clinic scheme is a lesson for other Indian states for achieving Universal Health Care (UHC)

An Aam Adami Mohalla Clinic at Peeragarhi in New Delhi. The clinics, set up across the city, are a crucial link in providing primary health care in the Capital.(Virendra Singh Gosain/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jan 27, 2017 10:45 AM IST

ByVishal Kant, New Delhi

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Vishal Kant

Vishal Kant works as an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times. He tracks developments in Aam Aadmi Party and Delhi government. Vishal has spent about a decade covering the city politics and governance, besides writing on Delhi’s civic issues, urban transport and infrastructure.

Delhi state election commission has directed the Arvind Kejriwal government and the municipal corporations to remove the word ‘Aam’ from all government project hoardings in the Capital.

Voting trends in Delhi show that the same group could vote differently in different elections. The Congress, led by Sheila Dikshit, won the 2003 and 2008 assembly elections comfortably, but the same electorate voted BJP to power in the municipal corporations in 2007 and 2012.

Ahead of the crucial municipal corporation elections in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party will focus on retaining its vote bank in the purvanchali community, who are migrants from Bihar and eastern UP. It will also try to offset the campaign by new Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari, who belongs to the region.

Delhi state election commission announced that polls to the three municipal corporations will be conducted on April 22. The votes will be counted three days later.

The municipal elections are likely to be held in the second half of April, though dates are still be announced. This will be the AAP’s first full-fledged foray in the Delhi civic elections.

Civic polls in the city are scheduled for April, but dates are still to be announced.

Unlike last year, when the government came up with big ticket ideas such as Swaraj Fund, the budget this year was more about enlisting the achievements of the government

The Delhi government on Wednesday consolidated its pro-poor policies with a major thrust on revamping school education and healthcare, proposing to spend one-fourth of Delhi’s Rs 48,000-crore budget on the social sector over the next financial year.

The five-day Budget session of the Delhi Assembly began on Monday with the address of Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, his first speech to the legislative House since assuming office in December last year.

Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal talked about Arvind Kejriwal government’s achievements in health, education such as Mohalla clinics and programme to improve learning among Delhi government school students

Delhi Assembly’s fifth session, Budget Session, will begin on Monday. The last session, the fourth held in six parts, was the longest in the history of Delhi Legislative Assembly. In the fresh session, finance minister Manish Sisodia will present the budget, after the address by L-G Anil Baijal

The five-day Budget session will begin with the address of Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. In view of the likely implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST), no new tax proposals may be proposed in the budget by finance minister Manish Sisodia

Hiking the minimum wages is the third proposal of AAP government cleared by L-G Anil Baijal in a month. These proposals were either pending with his office since the tenure of his predecessor Najeeb Jung or were returned by Jung for reconsideration.

The Supreme Court on December 15 had banned all liquor shops within 500 metres of national and state highways across the country, a move aimed at reducing drink driving and road accidents that claim thousands of lives every year.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has challenged the BJP and the Congress to name at least one ‘outstanding’ work that they executed while they were in power in the city’s municipal corporations during the past two decades.

In a big pay hike to guest teachers working in Delhi govt schools, L-G Anil Baijal has approved the Cabinet decision to increase their salaries by up to 100 per cent.

With municipal elections scheduled within a month after the budget is announced, both the city residents and opposition parties are looking up to the budgetary announcements.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said lieutenant governor Anil Baijal assured him that a proper probe will be conducted in the violence at Ramjas College on February 22.

Elderly parents can now throw out their abusive and greedy children from a “self-acquired” home by simply complaining to the deputy commissioner, rather than going to police or filing a lawsuit which is a time-sapping process.

The Aam Aadmi Party government has decided to allocate ₹350 crore as Swaraj Fund in the budget for the next financial year, even as an equal amount under the same head is all set to lapse in the current financial year because it could not be utilised

Senior AAP leaders said they have received complaints against the two MLAs from people in their respective constituencies

The AAP government initiated changes to enable legalisation and ownership of property in the unauthorised colonies of Delhi but residents say that has not translated into better amenities.

While broom is the symbol of AAP, the party intends to keep the larger narrative of the civic polls around the ‘performance’ of BJP-ruled MCDs over the past decade, especially the ‘garbage-crisis’ that has hit the city over the past few years due to the strike by municipal staff.

To reduce the rush at four major railway stations, Bijwasan and Shakurbasti stations in south-west Delhi are being developed into mega passenger terminals. These stations will mostly serve to west India-bound trains.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley had mention the upcoming waste-to-energy plant at Delhi railway station as a pilot project on the lines of which five more plants will be developed.

The Northern Railways is developing green patches along the tracks approaching four major stations of the Capital. This will improve the first look of the city and give the passengers a positive and welcoming view.

Former UN Secretary General writes to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, says Aam Aadmi Party government’s mohalla clinic scheme is a lesson for other Indian states for achieving Universal Health Care (UHC)

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