Jalandhar, January 29
Santisation, healthcare, and education figure big on Aam Aadmi Party’s plans for Punjab’s cities.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addressed a press conference in Jalandhar to announce AAP’s plans for Punjab’s cities along with chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann. The 10-point agenda was tailored for urban areas, Kejriwal said.
“There were only two types of politics going on in Punjab,” Kejriwal, who’s on a three-day visit to Punjab, told the congregation. “One is filled with corruption and mafia involvements. The other is where the Aam Aadmi Party stands, presenting an agenda for the development and progress of Punjab.”
His party, he said, had a proven track record in several areas, including healthcare services and education.
“In order to solve the problems of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann and I, met people of all sections, traders, businessmen, farmers and employees to know their problems and announced different guarantees accordingly. All our guarantees were highly appreciated and supported by the people of Punjab.”
The agenda, he said, made keeping urban problems in mind.
“People in Punjab’s urban said you made promises for but didn’t announce anything for cities. That’s why today we have come up with guarantees for cities. We will make the cities of Punjab No. 1 in the country and make all the cities beautiful and clean by prioritizing cleanliness,” said Kejriwal.
Cleanliness
Kejriwal said that like the cities of developed countries, the cities of Punjab will also have improved sanitation system and all the cities will be made clean and beautiful.
Doorstep delivery services
Kejriwal said that his government would implement “Doorstep Delivery Services”, a system that his government first introduced in Delhi. Under the Delhi government’s Doorstep delivery scheme, his government promised home delivery of 40 essential public services, including caste and marriage certificates, driving licence, and new water connections, and set up a special helpline number for the purpose.
“People will get freedom from middlemen-brokers and long queues. All government work, be it electricity connection or getting a ration card, government employees will go to the houses of the people,” Kejriwal said in Jalandhar. “People won’t have to go to knock on the government’s door—the government will come to you.”
Underground cables
The third agenda on AAP’s list was introducing underground cables in Punjab cities. His government, he said, would make all overhead electricity wires underground.
“Hanging wires of electricity and other cables make the city look ugly,” he said. “AAP government has initiated undergrounding in Delhi’s densely populated areas.”
Mohalla clinics
The fourth promise he made was another one of Kejriwal government’s pet projects in Delhi—the Mohalla clinics. The mohalla clinic is a primary healthcare facility that his government first introduced in Delhi in 2015. The facility offers primary healthcare services, medicines and diagnostics free of charge.
Aam Aadmi Party promised 16,000 village and mohalla clinics in Punjab. In addition, he promised his government would improve healthcare services in the state.
“We will repair the government hospitals. Under the AAP government, the people of Punjab will not have to go to expensive private hospitals for treatment. All kinds of health facilities will be provided to them free of cost in government hospitals,” he said.
Government schools
This is another one of AAP’s pet projects in Delhi: rejuvenation of government schools in cities. Real-nation building means giving good education to the children of our country, said Kejriwal.
“In Delhi, we have made government schools world-class. While the condition of government schools in different states of the country has worsened, the result of government schools in Delhi this year has been 99.6 per cent, and more than 2.5 lakh children have opted out of private schools to enroll in government schools,” he said. “Today, students of government schools in Delhi are scoring good marks in IIT and NEET exams. Last year, more than 350 students from government schools in Delhi got admission in IITs.
Electricity, water, roads, and toilets
Free electricity and water supply for 24 hours, better roads and parking, and better public toilets were other items on AAP’s agenda.
“Roads in market areas are in poor condition,” he said. “Parking facilities in cities are inadequate and there aren’t enough public conveniences.”
Women’s safety
The ninth item on AAP’s agenda is safety and security. Women’s safety, said Kejriwal, would especially be prioritised.
In Delhi, we’ve installed a large number of CCTV cameras in Delhi,” he claimed. “If we’re voted to power in Punjab, we’ll have CCTVs installed in every city to ensure the safety of women.”
Taxes
Kejriwal promised that the AAP government will neither impose any new taxes nor increase current tax rates.
“The previous governments didn’t lack money,” he claimed “They lacked the intention to get development work done. Good intentions make everything possible.”
Also on the agenda was the eradication of corruption and rooting out the mafia.
“For traditional parties, power is like a business. Corruption and mafia are just part of their politics. are parts of their politics. Electing them won’t change a thing. They’ve done nothing for so many years, and they’re not about to start now.”
On the agenda
—Cleanliness and better santisation, better roads, public toilets. Undergrounding electric cables
—Better government healthcare, mohalla clinics
—Emulating Delhi’s doorstep delivery services in Punjab
—Improving government schools
—Women’s safety
—No additional taxes
—Free water, electricity
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