The Hindu : New Delhi News : B.L. Joshi sworn in as new Delhi L-G

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Thursday, Jun 10, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

B.L. Joshi sworn in as new Delhi L-G

By Our Staff Reporter

The new Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi, Banwari Lal Joshi, taking his oath of office at a function in the Capital on Wednesday.

NEW DELHI, JUNE 9. The retired Indian Police Service officer, Banwari Lal Joshi, was today sworn in as the 18th Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi. He was administered the oath of office and secrecy by the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, B.C. Patel, at a simple function in Raj Niwas.

The swearing-in-ceremony was attended by the Vice-President, Bhairon Singh Sekhawat, the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, all her Cabinet Ministers, the Union Minister of State for Non-Resident Affairs, Jagdish Tytler, the Member of Parliament from Outer Delhi, Sajjan Kumar, the Delhi Chief Secretary, Shailja Chandra, senior bureaucrats and MLAs.

Mr. Joshi succeeds Vijai Kapoor, who held the post for a record six years one month and 20 days. Mr. Kapoor had resigned after the Congress-led coalition Government assumed office at the Centre.

The 70-year-old Mr. Joshi was appointed the Lieutenant-Governor by the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, on June 3. Coming from Rajasthan, he has held various positions in the State Government, Centre and various Indian missions abroad. Interestingly, Madan Lal Khurana from Delhi is the present Governor of Rajasthan.

Soon after assuming charge, Mr. Joshi said he had come with a "dream and commitment" to co-ordinate in making the Capital a "beautiful city". Without elaborating, Mr. Joshi said he would first try to acquaint himself with the problems of the city.

Observing that there was need to improve the quality of life, Mr. Joshi said: "I have come with a dream and commitment to make Delhi a beautiful Capital. My role would be that of a co-ordinator."

Emphasising the need to have a common "wavelength" for carrying out all round development of the Capital, he said he believed in enforcing discipline and warned that corruption would not be tolerated.

Replying to media queries, Mr. Joshi refused to comment on the tenure of his predecessor. "I believe that all problems could be solved with better coordination and commitment," he said. He observed that the Delhi police was a disciplined force. Asked about his residence in the Capital, the jinxed 33 Sham Nath Marg, he said he had no problem with his new home. "I come from a poor background. I can live even in a slum cluster," he said.

Born on April 1, 1934, in the remote Choti Khatu village of Nagour district of Rajasthan, he is only the second IPS officer to occupy this post. Markandey Singh appointed by the Chandrashekhar Government in 1991 was the first. Selected for the Rajasthan Police Service in 1956, Mr. Joshi joined the Intelligence Bureau in 1962 when he came to Delhi. In 1965 he was appointed the Principal Security Officer in the Prime Minister's security.

He also occupied the post of First Secretary in the Indian High Commission in Pakistan, American Embassy in Washington and later the Indian High Commission in London. He also served as the Superintendent of Police with the Railways in Dungarpur-Sikar (Ajmer Division) and the Central Bureau of Investigation, CID (Intelligence wing) in the Indian Railways. Eight years after his retirement in 1991, he was as appointed the member of the Rajasthan Human Rights Commission in 1999. Mr. Joshi retired from the Commission on March 31, 2004.

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