Delhi govt announces infrastructural improvements in public education, healthcare, transport

Addressing a gathering at ‘Janta ki Cabinet, Janta ke Beech’ on completion of 100 days of Delhi government, the newly formed government has made some tall announcements. It has also shown initial work, commitment and intent to get some of their promised work get done.

Public Education – 45 public schools under construction, 20,000 new teachers to be hired

Delhi government has announced expansion and improvement of infrastructure of government educational institutions with more teachers along with formation of a committee to regulate private schools admission and fees.

Addressing a gathering at ‘Janta ki Cabinet, Janta ke Beech’ on completion of 100 days of Delhi government, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that “during this budget we will formulate a policy for private schools admission and fee.

There were flaws and loopholes in law to regulate and control fees and admission of private schools. He also admitted that that there is a shortage of teachers in government schools at present.

“We will amend the law and give power to our officers. We will also form a committee to regulate private schools soon. This will happen soon and the public will not have to face problem due to it. In one year, we will give 20,000 teachers to the government schools. Even guest teachers will be permanent after taking their examination. Those of you not found fit will not be made permanent,” Sisodia said.

He further said that government is mapping each government schools and identifying problem areas in terms of infrastructure. “We have started working on each school after doing mapping. I assure you that when schools reopen in July, they will find substantial change in their school building,” he said.

Claiming that government is moving towards AAP party’s poll promise of opening 500 schools in Delhi Sisodia said, “we will open 100 model schools which will also have auditorium, lab and other modern facilities. We have started construction of 45 schools across Delhi and also planning to run double-shift in 75 schools. We have also identified land for 60-70 schools.” The Education Minister also announced that government is installing CCTV cameras in each school and classroom.

Talking about higher education, Sisodia said, “Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology (NSIT) is a premium engineering institute and we have decided to make it a university. At present, 4,000 students study here and soon it will be made available for 12,000 students. We will open a vocational and sports university.”

Government is also planning to roll out a scheme for educational loans. Sisodia said that government is also working to ensure healthy and nutritious food to school students through mid-day meals.

Public Healthcare – Bed capacity of govt hospitals to be increased to 20,000

In order to improve health care facilities, the AAP government has said that it would increase the bed capacity of government hospitals from existing 10,000 to 20,000 in next two-and-a-half years.

Addressing the gathering, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said that out of 20,000 hospitals beds, government will set aside 3000 beds for emergency and ICU.

“At present, Delhi government has hospitals having a capacity of 10,000 beds, but in next two-and-a-half-years, we will increase from 10,000 beds to 20,000 beds which could never be done in past 65 years. Government has prepared a plan of this project. We have got to know that in Delhi, people have to spend Rs 60,000 to Rs 1 lakh for using ICU beds every day. In view of this, our government has decided to set aside 3000 beds for emergency and ICU out of 20,000 beds in government hospitals,” Jain said.

The minister said that health department will open separate four branches of Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, GB Pant Hospital, Guru Nanak Eye Centre, Maulana Azad Dental College and Delhi Cancer Institute in the national capital.

“For example, if you want to get your eyes treated at Guru Nanak Eye Centre, but it falls far from your house. Keeping this in view, government will open four branches of Guru Nanak Eye Centre across the city so that people will be benefited,” Jai said.

Electricity – To provide electricity to Delhiites at cheaper rates permanently

Jain, who is also Power Minister, said that government will get power purchase agreement of discoms cancelled to provide electricity to Delhiites at cheaper rates permanently.

“We will also build pit-head coal-based power plant for which we have demanded from the Central government to give coal blocks to us so that power can be provided to people at cheaper rates. We hope that by July end, we will get coal block from the Centre,” he said, adding that government will also focus on solar power.

On trial basis, government has installed solar panel at 20-25 places and after studying their result, government will install more solar panel so that consumption of power can be reduced, the minister said.

Judiciary and Security – To withdraw thousands of small cases which burden court

Jain, who is also Delhi’s Home Minister, said that there are thousands of small cases which are not important and in view of this, government has decided to withdraw such cases.

“Delhi government will withdraw thousands of small cases which burden court. We have starting making a list of such cases,” he said.

The minister added that there are 5,000 home guards in the city and government has decided to increase them up to 15,000 in first phase and thereafter, it will further increase the numbers of such personnel in the capital.

Public Transport – 10,000 buses to be added

The Delhi government has also said that it would provide a subsidy of Rs 15,000 to e-rickshaw owners on registration of their vehicle with the transport department and also announced 1,880 new buses to strengthen public transport in a few days.

Transport Minister Gopal Rai made the announcements at the AAP government’s open Cabinet session at Central Park here and said that 10,000 buses would be added to the DTC fleet in the next five years.

“More than 24,000 e-rickshaw drivers have been given driving licenses and PSV badges after we took office. We have also decided that e-rickshaw drivers would be given Rs 15,000 from the government’s part for every new registration. Delhi’s lifeline are its buses. In the recent past, with a special purpose, the whole DTC fleet was brought to its knees. No new buses came in the last three years so 1,880 buses will be bought in the next few days and the department is working on that,” Rai said.

Rai said that as per the suggestions of all the MLAs, the department had decided to run 70 per cent of those buses in the outer Delhi areas. “1,380 big buses and 500 small buses would run outer Delhi areas.”

Referring to the NGT order that banned diesel vehicles older than 10 years from plying on Delhi roads, he said the government has decided to strengthen public transport, that he said would also reduce air pollution.

“We have decided to strengthen the public transport network to a great extent so that people are not forced to take private cars. 10,000 new buses would run in Delhi’s roads in the next five years that would include advanced, standard floor buses and that would make Delhi pollution free. We have written to the LG/DDA and other authorities to help us procure land for new depots,” he said, adding 1,000 new contractual drivers would be recruited in the coming days.

According to PTI, Rai said that his department and DMRC were working towards providing a common mobility card to commuters. The minister said that the government will take care of the concerns of auto rickshaw drivers while warning them of action against harassment of passengers.

The minister also assured that economic rights of labours will be protected. “If any labour’s economic right is snatched by middle-men and contractors we will taken action. Labour department has run a special drive to make sure that the culprits are put into Tihar,” he added.

Women Safety – to deploy 2,500 marshals in buses

In order to ensure security of women in public transport, the Delhi Government has decided to deploy 2,500 marshals in buses plying in the city. The government is currently providing training to personnel of Home Guard and Civil Defence as marshals to prevent and deter crime, especially against women passengers, in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and orange-colour cluster buses.

“As per our plan, 2,500 personnel of civil defence and home guards are now being trained as marshals in first phase. They will patrol in buses in groups. Each group will have 3-4 marshals. They will soon start patrolling buses,” Transport Minister Gopal Rai said. According to the government, the marshals will be given walkie-talkies so that they can contact each other.

“The idea behind deploying these marshals in groups is that they can prevent and deal with crime completely in buses. If one marshal is deployed in buses, so he may not be able to prevent two or three persons involved in crime and in view of this, we have decided to deploy marshals in groups. They will also be given walkie-talkies by the government,” he said.

The government also has plans to install CCTV cameras in all DTC buses. So far, DTC has managed to install CCTV cameras in 200 buses in first phase. “The government will also install CCTV cameras in a phased manner. We are now working on this project,” the minister said. In its pre-poll manifesto, the Aam Aadmi Party promised to set up Women’s Security Force made up of a 10,000-strong Home Guard.

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