Arvind Kejriwal highlights ‘revolutionary’ feats

NEW DELHI: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday used his Republic Day speech to showcase the work done in his two years in office.

In an emotionally charged speech delivered at

Chhatrasal Stadium

, Kejriwal cited progress made in the “education and health” sectors as “revolutionary” and an “investment” for a better future. The CM, however, didn’t mention his battle with the Centre. Instead, he used expressions like “sweet and sour” and “good and bad” experiences to sum up his two years in office. In fact, he called upon the other states and the Centre to emulate the Delhi government’s model to improve the aam aadmi’s lot in the country.

Last year, the Delhi CM had had shared his own ‘development model’ for Delhi by setting four principles—invest in people, believe in people, create smart people before smart cities and make ease of doing business real. On Wednesday, he said, “I feel today our country’s biggest strength and resource is not roads, flyovers, airports, rivers, mountains and forests; the biggest strength is the janata (public). If we are able to give our children good education, it will lead our country on the path of development and success. If we can give our people good healthcare facilities, it will lead to progress. Ever since our government took charge, these two areas formed the core focus areas. In the first budget, we gave maximum money to these sectors; in the second, we doubled the budget for education and increased that for health by 1.5 times of the expenditure that was incurred.”

Perhaps Kejriwal’s focus on development comes in the backdrop of the forthcoming Punjab and Goa elections where

AAP

is contesting.

Kejriwal reiterated his government’s commitment to ensure transparency in nursery admissions. He elaborated on the process underway to make government schools as good as private schools or even better. He also attacked private schools for making education a business while praising those that were doing good work, shaping the future of students.

“In previous governments, people had vested interest in private schools, but in the AAP government, no minister does it,” he said.

The CM also talked about his government’s air-conditioned mohalla clinics. “Here free medicines are given to patients. Once all 1,000 such clinics are set up, people will find health facilities within a 2-3 km radius of their residence.”

However, in a departure from tradition, the Delhi CM missed the annual customary NCC Republic Day camp. Kejriwal was absent from Delhi as he was busy campaigning in Punjab and Goa for the forthcoming state elections.

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar, too, postponed his visit.