Smt. Sheila Dikshit started her historic third term as the Chief Minister of the Government of NCT of Delhi on December 17, 2008. She served her first term between 1998-2003 and the second term between 2003-2008. She represents New Delhi Constituency in the Legislative Assembly. Appointed President of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee in May 1998, she led her party to a sweeping victory in the Delhi Assembly elections for the first time in November that year. She repeated the performance in 2003 and 2008 Assembly Elections, and rode the victory waves of not so common pro-incumbency.
After having served two full terms that witnessed development through her internationally acclaimed initiative `Bhagidari’ i.e. people’s participation in the process of governance, in her third term Smt. Dikshit brings to the administration vast experience in citizencentric and open administration and democratic decentralization. The Bhagidari initiative preceded her other major initiative of Right to Information. She made Delhi one of the first states in India to enforce the Right to Information Act in its letter and spirit. It was as a result of this open and responsive system of administration that development-social and economic, took precedence over parochial, and sectarian issues. These path breaking initiatives brought laurels for Delhi by its winning the coveted United Nations Public Service Award 2005 for improving Transparency, Accountability and Responsiveness in Public Service. These add to her experience as a Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office under late Shri Rajiv Gandhi during 1986-1989. She represented the Kannauj constituency in the 8`h Lok Sabha(1984-89). She also chaired the Implementation Committee for commemoration of forty years of India’s Independence and Jawaharlal Nehru Centenary during this time.
Her approach has always been the holistic development of the city state of Delhi. Some of the concrete achievements during her term as Chief Minister of Delhi include the starting of Metro, CNG fuelled public transport system, numerous Flyovers, cleaner Environment, substantial increase in the Green cover (from 26 sq km in 1998 to over 300 sq km in 2008), reforms in the Power sector, marked improvement in standard and results of Government schools, an extended and quality Public Health infrastructure and various income generation schemes for the marginalized sections of the society. Her relentless efforts to give clean environment to the citizens led to Delhi’s winning the US Department of Energy’s first ‘Clean Cities Award’ in 2003.Her Bhagidari yojana ensured active participation of citizens of Delhi, especially children, in all campaigns including ‘Say No to Plastic Bags’, ‘Anti-Crackers Campaign’, Plant more trees campaign’. ‘Khelo Holi naturally’,'Say no to shining wrapping paper’ etc.
As Chief Minister of Delhi for a record third consecutive term, she is committed to make Delhi a truly global City that every Indian could be proud of keeping the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in view. Democratic decentralization and people’s partnership in governance remain her major planks of administration and the system initiated by involving Citizen Groups through ‘Bhagidari’ will be strengthened. Development with a human face will be the cornerstone of governance with infrastructure development in the core sectors power, transport and water being priority areas. The problems of the slumdwellers and the unauthorized colonies are foremost in the priorities of her government. A well-enunciated policy including low cost housing for their settlement is on the anvil. A cleaner Yamuna will be high on her agenda.
Her several initiatives, especially the Bhagidari, have been widely acclaimed at the national and international level. She has been invited at different Academic Business and Media forum to share her thoughts on Bhagidari and Good Governance. Some of the forums recently addressed by her include World Economic forum, Stanford University, University of St. Gallen, National Academy of Administration Mussoorie, IITs, JNU, DU, CII, PHD Chamber of Commerce, FICCI, ASSOCHAM etc.
Smt. Sheila Dikshit has championed the cause of women at various fora and in various capacities. It has been with her acommitment to the empowerment of women that as the Chief Minister she launched the innovative ‘Stree Shakti’ programme in Delhi which entails capacity building among women especially those belonging to weaker sections of the society by providing them frequent access to healthcare and medicine, training in different employment generation streams and financial aid for self-employment opportunity. While the programme is carried our through regular camps across the city, Gender Resource Centres i.e. ‘Stree Rosh’ have also been set up in different localities of the Capital to enhance and encourage entrepreneurship among women. Recently the programme has won the Silver Award for Citizen Engagement and Service Delivery at the CAPAM Biennial Conference held in October 2006 in Australia.
She has also been a leading figure in the movement for granting a status of equality and respect to women. She represented India on the UN Commission on Status of Women for five years (1984-89). in Uttar Pradesh, she along with her 82 colleagues were jailed in August 1990 for 23 days by state government when she led a people’s movement against the atrocities being committed on women. Inspired by this, lakhs of citizens all over UP joined the movement and courted arrest. In -the early 1970′s, she was Chairperson of the Young Women’s Association and was instrumental in setting up two of the most successful hostels for working women in Delhi.
She is also associated with Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust. The trust has come to play a leading role in promotion of international understanding. It presents the Indira Gandhi Award for peace, disarmament and development and organizes conferences on issues of global concern. Under her aegis an Environmental Centre has been set up at the Trust.
She has been especially interested in the promotion of handicrafts and rural artisans all over the country. Promotion of folk theatre has been one of her abiding commitments over the years. Between 1978 and 1983, in her capacity as the Executive Secretary of the Garment Exporters’ Association, she played a leading role in taking garment exports to unprecedented levels.
Strongly committed to the development of a harmonious society, Smt. Dikshit has from every platform fought the rise of communal and casteist forces. She practices the belief that if democracy is to truly survive in India, the basic norms of correct behaviour and rectitude and mutual respect for the opinions and beliefs of others have to form an integral part of public life.
Born on March 31, 1938, in Kapurthala, Punjab, she is the eldest of three sisters. Holder of Master of Arts degree in History, with a honorary doctorate from Delhi University, she received her education at Convent of Jesus and Mary School, New Delhi and later in Miranda House, Delhi University. She was married into the family of Shri Uma Shankar Dikshit, noted freedom fighter, a former Governor and Union Cabinet Minister. Her late husband Shri Vinod Dikshit was a widely respected member of Indian Administrative Service. She has two children, one son and one daughter.
