Desi Talk

www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 8 CITY VIEWS April 3, 2026 NYC Mayor Launches Survey Of Parents For Universal Childcare Initiative Elmhurst,NY Geeta Temple Ashram Hosts Ram Navami N ewYork City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced March 31, 2026, the launch of the NewYork City Parent Survey, as part of the initiative to provide universal child care in the future. Already, beginning this fall Mamdani announced 2,000 free 2-K seats and more than 1,000 new free 3-K seats, and the survey is expected to play a central role in gathering input from families and incor- porating it into program design. Over the next two weeks, families will receive postcard invitations to participate. The survey will also be available online at nyc.gov/parentsurvey. ”All families with young children are encouraged to respond,” said the press release from the Mayor’s office. The survey opens March 31 in English and Spanish and will remain open through April 13. A summary of results will be released later this year. “Last year, NewYorkers made it clear: universal child care is not a luxury, it’s a necessity and it cannot wait. The same spirit of community-driven decision-making will guide how we build this system,” Mamdani is quoted saying in the press release. “Every parent and caregiver deserves a voice in shaping the care their families rely on.” The survey is a project of the New Practice Lab at New America and is funded by the Robin Hood Foun- dation. It is expected to be the largest representative survey of NewYork City parents of young children to date. It asks parents and primary caregivers about their current child care arrangements, preferred schedules and settings and priorities for early childhood educa- tion, the Mayor’s office said. About the Survey The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete and covers topics including current child care arrangements, parental leave preferenc- es and preferred types and hours of care. Households that re- ceive a postcard can visit nycparents.norc.org and enter their PIN to access the survey and receive a digital payment for com- pleting it. Other families can visit nyc.gov/parent- survey for a chance to participate. All responses are anonymous and voluntary. Data will be kept strictly confidential, and no personally identifiable information will be shared with the Admin- istration. Sampling and data collection are led by NORC at the University of Chicago, a nonpartisan research organization. The NewYork City Parent Survey is part of a nation- wide effort by the New Practice Lab to strengthen con- nections between policymakers and families of young children, the press release said. By a StaffWriter Mayor Mamdani making a childcare announcement, March 30, 2026. The Geeta Temple in Elmhurst, New York, held Ram Navami celebrations on March 27, 2026. The hall was beautifully decorated and a large number of devotees attended. The Shri Ram Janmotsav, or birth of Lord Ram, was observed with aartis conducted by temple priests, and prasad was distributed to those present. PHOTO:SCREENSHOT FROMVIDEO,FACEBOOK @NYCMAYOR Priya Jain Sworn In As Commissioner Of The New Jersey Department Of Transportation N ew Jersey Department of Trans- portation (NJDOT) officials announced March 30, 2026, that Priya Jain was sworn-in as New Jersey Department of Transporta- tion Commissioner, making her the 21st Chief Executive of the Department. The full New Jersey State Senate unanimously confirmed her nomination on March 23. Governor Sherrill nominated Com- missioner Jain on January 19, 2026, and she has served in an acting capacity since then. She will continue her work over- seeing the Department that manages the state’s multi-faceted transportation network. The Commissioner of NJDOT also serves as Chair of New Jersey Transit, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, and the South Jersey Transportation Authority, noted the press release from NJDOT. “Commissioner Jain is committed to delivering an affordable, reliable, and modern transportation system through collaboration, practical problem solving, and disciplined delivery,” NJDOT said. “Her vision for a community-centered approach to transportation will meet the real needs of the public through the use of innovative technology and data-driven decision making.” According to NJDOT, since she came on in an acting capacity, Commissioner Jain has worked alongside engineers, mainte- nance crews, and operators, applying her expertise as a civil engineer, to learn the foundation of this Department. Jain has more than three decades of experience leading major and complex transportation and infrastructure pro- grams. She began her career as a civil and environmental engineer and has worked at the intersection of engineering, policy, and programmanagement to support public agencies in advancing complex capital projects. Most recently, she served as the Presi- dent of Americas for Mace Consult, where she led strategic growth and operational excellence across the U.S. and the globe. Prior to that, as Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer for Atlas, she is credited with driving enterprise-wide growth initiatives and helping position the firm for long-term success. As Senior Vice President for Sales and Strategy at Atkins, she spearheaded the firm’s expansion across North America and strengthened partnerships with public agencies. She also held senior leadership roles at CH2M, managing and delivering major transpor- tation and infrastructure programs. Jain’s connection to New Jersey’s transportation system began early in her career, as an engineer on the original ARC Tunnel project. “That experience shaped her understanding of the complexities of large, multi-agency projects and con- tinues to inform her focus on efficient permitting, interagency coordination, and timely project delivery,” the press release said. She is a member of the Board of Direc- tors of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials (NASTO), and The Eastern Transportation Coalition (TETC). In addition to her professional respon- sibilities, Commissioner Jain remains engaged in academic and industry service as an Advisory Board Member for Civil En- gineering at the City College of NewYork. She holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and master’s degree in phys- ics from Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, as well as a master’s degree in environmental engineering from the University of NewYork at Buffalo. By a StaffWriter PHOTO:NJTRANSIT.COM PHOTOS :GEETATEMPLE Commissioner Priya Jain.