In a move aimed at streamlining public service delivery, the Delhi government is planning to establish mini secretariats in all 11 revenue districts of the national capital. The initiative seeks to bring key departments such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Department of Revenue, and Social Welfare Department under one roof, thereby making it easier for residents to access multiple services in a single location.
District Magistrates (DMs) have been asked to identify suitable spaces within their respective districts for setting up these mini secretariats. A senior Delhi government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the Chief Minister has directed officials to scout appropriate sites to establish the facilities, which will help make multi-agency public services more accessible and citizen-friendly.
Currently, Delhi is divided into 11 revenue districts, each headed by a DM who oversees administrative affairs with the support of Additional District Magistrates, Sub-Divisional Magistrates, Tehsildars, and Sub-Registrars. These offices handle a wide range of responsibilities, including magistrate and revenue matters, property registration, and issuance of statutory documents.
Officials emphasized that the objective is to minimize the need for residents to travel between various government offices spread across the city. A senior official highlighted the inefficiencies caused by the existing fragmented system, citing an example: “Someone goes to the MCD to report the drain, but finds that it belongs to the DJB. Then he has to go to the DJB office. If these major departments are located together, people can easily move to the next office within the same premises and get their problem solved.”
Presently, government departments are located at different places, such as the Delhi Secretariat at ITO, and various offices at Civil Lines, Kashmere Gate, and other locations. The plan is to decentralize and integrate these through the proposed mini secretariats. A revenue department official stated that the effort is focused on administrative efficiency and ensuring citizen-centric governance. These mini secretariats will serve as integrated administrative centres, coordinating public services at the district level.
In the South-West District, which is the largest in Delhi with a spread of 420 square kilometers and over 32 lakh registered voters, a site has already been identified for the proposed mini secretariat in Dwarka. The district is administratively divided into three sub-divisions: Kapashera, Najafgarh, and Dwarka. A senior official noted that the district comprises 77 villages, many of which lie on the Delhi-Haryana border, and that a centralized service center would greatly benefit the local population.
Cost estimates for the Dwarka mini secretariat are currently being prepared. The facility is expected to house 12 to 13 government departments, including the MCD, Public Works Department (PWD), DJB, Health Services, and Welfare departments. Simultaneously, the process of identifying appropriate locations for mini secretariats in the remaining 10 districts has also been initiated.
