The Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Delhi Building and Construction Workers Health Scheme, under which registered construction workers and their families can avail of free annual health check-ups and a range of cashless medical services worth up to ₹10 lakh per year, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) stated in a release.

About 2.7 lakh workers are registered with the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board.

“Under the scheme, registered construction workers and their eligible family members, including spouses, children and parents, will receive free and quality healthcare services through empanelled hospitals and mobile health units. Each registered worker will be entitled to treatment of up to ₹2 lakh at empanelled hospitals, while the limit for a family will be up to ₹10 lakh. The entire treatment process will be cashless, eliminating any financial burden on workers and their families,” the statement read.

Beneficiaries will have access to free outpatient and inpatient services, diagnostic and laboratory facilities, emergency medical assistance, and referral services, it added.

The CMO stated that the board already runs 17 welfare schemes, including those for the education and marriage of children, disability pensions, and death compensation for workers.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said a comprehensive health protection scheme for this section had long been lacking, and the present initiative has been designed to address that shortcoming.

The Delhi government has brought 23 additional services under the Delhi (Right Of Citizen To Time Bound Delivery Of Services) Act, 2011 to ensure quicker delivery of services within fixed deadlines, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) stated in a release on Monday.

Following the revision, approval of factory plans by the Labour Department will be granted within 15 days while registration under the Shops and Establishments Act will be completed within a day. The Delhi Jal Board will provide sewerage connections within 15 days, among other services, said the CMO.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the decision will directly benefit the common people as well as businesses associated with trade, hospitality, tourism, construction and services sectors. She said the government’s objective is to ensure that citizens and businesses receive services within a defined time frame, and that important approvals, licences, registrations and no-objection certificates (NOCs) issued by various departments are delivered within stipulated timelines.

Bringing additional services within the ambit of the services delivery Act, she added, will reduce unnecessary delays and minimise the need for visits to government offices.

‘Safeguarding rights’

Ms. Gupta said the government remains committed to making the city more conducive to investment, business, and employment opportunities and that the time-bound service delivery mechanism will not only safeguard citizens’ rights but also strengthen administrative accountability.

With the inclusion of new services, the Forest and Wildlife Department will dispose of applications seeking permission for tree felling under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act within 60 days.

The Public Works Department will grant permissions related to road cutting and associated works within 45 days, and the registration of builders and agents under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act will be completed within 30 days.

“There were about 500 services that were already covered under the Act. Action could be taken against officials concerned for not adhering to the deadlines,” a source at the CMO said.

Set timelines

“Hotel registrations or operational permissions and slaughterhouse licences will also be granted within 60 days. Permission for the installation of mobile towers will be provided within 30 days, while approval for the storage of construction material will be available within a single day,” read the CMO statement.

“The Agriculture Department will complete processes related to pesticide control operation licences, sales registrations and seed licences within 21 days each. Under the Excise Department, bar licences will be issued within 30 days, while brand and label registrations under both the IMFL (Indian-Made Foreign Liquor) and FL (Foreign Liquor) categories will be completed within 42 days,” it added.

Other services

Similarly, registrations of water sports and adventure sports operators, and approvals for operating amusement parks, will be issued within 60 days.

NOCs from local bodies required for obtaining State licences for food businesses will be issued within 60 days.

Applications related to electricity meters will be processed within 60 days. Registration of weighing and measuring instruments used in commercial establishments under Legal Metrology will be completed within 45 days. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee will issue authorisations related to the collection, transportation and recycling of battery waste within 15 days.

Sub-registrar offices will be transformed into transparent, technology-enabled, and citizen-centric service centres, modelled on the time-bound service delivery of Passport Seva Kendras, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Saturday.

Ms. Gupta said the aim is to transform the functioning of these offices so that citizens registering property no longer have to deal with “delays, corruption, middlemen or unnecessary hassles”.

According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), she recently held a meeting with senior officials of the department concerned, during which several private firms also made presentations on how technology-driven systems, trained staff and integrated digital services have enabled some States to deliver faster, more transparent and hassle-free public services. Following this, the government decided to adopt a similar model to improve citizen services and enhance revenue collection, the CMO added.

Ms. Gupta said the facilities planned for these centres include air-conditioned waiting lounges, help desks, digital assistance counters, smart token systems and real-time application tracking.

“Online appointment booking, pre-verification services, live application tracking and smart token management are expected to reduce waiting times and improve transparency,” the CMO said.

‘Advanced security’

“The government also plans to introduce advanced security and verification mechanisms. These will include AI-powered facial recognition for identity verification, background checks and blockchain-backed record security. Modern technologies such as digital record management, geo-fencing and secure data integration will be used to make property records tamper-proof, curb fraud and reduce disputes,” it added.

The Chief Minister said that while private partners may assist in establishing and operating premium model registrar centres, all statutory powers and final decision-making authority will remain exclusively with the government.

The new system is also expected to eliminate the influence of middlemen and touts, while addressing issues such as revenue leakage, incorrect property valuation, difficulties in tracking pending documents and the risk of fraudulent paperwork.