New Delhi: At the India News Manch organised on 22 January, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that his government has done a lot of work on water, electricity, schools and healthcare. “So we are asking people to vote for us on the basis of the work we have done. And I believe this time, supporters of both the Congress and BJP are going to vote for us in the Delhi Assembly election,” Kejriwal said.
Speaking about his promises for the education sector, Kejriwal said, “We will take responsibility of the education of every child born in Delhi from school to graduation. We will provide guarantee-free loan to students who want to pursue their higher education in any professional course.” Kejriwal also added that his government will bear the “coaching” expenses of students who are preparing for medical, engineering and bank examinations.
“I am saving money in my government and giving it back to the people. What is wrong with that?” he said while answering a question on “freebies’ that his government is giving to people of Delhi. He said that he is cutting unnecessary costs and using that money to provide relief to the people.
Kejriwal also criticised the Ayushman Bharat scheme of the Central government and alleged that the scheme is “exclusive” in nature as it doesn’t include people who earn Rs 5 lakh or have vehicles etc. “We have built around 400 mohalla clinics and there are around 30 polyclinics. People can go to these government hospitals and their treatment is totally free,” Kejriwal said. However, he emphasised that the Centre and state governments should work together for the development of Delhi.
Kejriwal said that in the next five years, his government will focus systematically to curb pollution and make Delhi cleaner and greener. He also said that this time, elections in Delhi will be fought on local issues such as water, electricity, education and healthcare. Asked whether the schemes under which people are getting water and electricity for free will be continued or not, Kejriwal assured by saying, “I am giving you the guarantee that everything that people are getting for free will be continued for the next 10 years.”
