Dentist-turned-Politician Pankaj Singh sworn in as Delhi Health Minister

New Delhi: Pankaj Kumar Singh, a dental surgeon-turned-politician, took oath as a minister of the BJP government led by Rekha Gupta and has now been appointed the Minister of Health and Family Welfare along with Transport, and Information Technology.

The ceremony, held at Ramlila Ground, was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries. 

Singh has done his Bachelor’s degree in dental surgery from Magadh University, Bodh Gaya, in Bihar in 1998.

Debutant legislator Pankaj Kumar Singh, a Purvanchali face in the newly formed Rekha Gupta government, is a dental surgeon-turned-politician.

Singh (48), sworn in as a minister on Thursday, has won from the Vikaspuri seat, defeating his nearest rival by over 12,000 votes.

He is the general secretary of the Delhi BJP’s Poorvanchal Morcha. The Delhi residents coming from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand are referred to as Poorvanchalis and they are dominant in several constituencies of the national capital.

Born on November 6, 1977, in Bihar, Singh's early years were marked by a strong academic focus.

Singh told PTI that the priorities before the new government are many and they include roads, hospitals, schools, drinking water supply and cleaning of the Yamuna river.

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“The basic facilities which should be provided to the people of Delhi have not been given to them. Our efforts will be to provide facilities to the people of the national capital and to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed Delhi,” he said.

He also served as a municipal corporation leader in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) before being fielded by the party from the Vikaspuri seat, adds PTI.

The BJP returned to power in Delhi after over 26 years ousting the 10-year rule of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), winning 48 of the 70 Assembly seats. AAP’s tally shrunk to 22 seats from the high of 62 it had bagged in the 2020 Assembly elections.

Speaking to ANI, Singh said that the government is dedicated to bringing Ayushman Bharat to Delhi as soon as possible.

"We have a lot of priorities. Fulfilling the promises made by PM Modi and in our manifesto is our priority. We are dedicated to bringing the Ayushman Bharat to Delhi as soon as possible. Treating and discarding polluted water, potholes, transportation, and hospitality are our priorities... " the Delhi Minister said.

Further reiterating the party's promise to clean the Yamuna River passing through Delhi, he said, "I can promise that I will take a holy dip in the Yamuna in the next Chhath."

He exuded confidence about winning Bihar's legislative assembly election due later this year.

"We will see clean and pure water of Yamuna in the next Chhath... I can guarantee that the people in Bihar will vote for us because the BJP does what it says... We will win Bihar with a huge margin," he said.

Meanwhile, a day after assuming office, the new BJP-led government has terminated all co-terminus appointments made earlier in the offices of the former chief minister and cabinet ministers.

According to the order from the Delhi Government's Service Department, the formation of a newly elected government warrants the fresh appointment of staff of all categories, as appointments automatically get terminated upon the resignation of the then-Chief Minister and ministers.

"All the officers, officials and staff from various departments, organisations, corporations, boards, hospitals, etc. "deployed in diverted capacity" in the offices of the Chief Minister and Ministers shall be deemed to have been relieved from duties with immediate effect and shall report to their respective departments, boards, autonomous bodies, corporations, hospitals, etc. with immediate effect," the order said, reports ANI.

"Accordingly, the deployment and appointment of officers have to take place afresh after the taking of the oath and the assumption of office by the new chief minister," it said.

The order mentioned that regular staff of DANICS, DSS, and the Steno cadre will continue to work in their respective offices under the newly sworn-in chief minister and ministers until further orders.

Earlier, BJP's Rekha Gupta was sworn in as Delhi Chief Minister on Thursday in a grand ceremony at Ramlila Maidan. Afterwards, she chaired the first meeting of her cabinet hours later and announced two key decisions: to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme with a Rs 5 lakh top-up and table the 14 pending CAG reports in the first sitting of the Assembly. 

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