Education budget reduced in BJP-ruled states: Sisodia
New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia on Wednesday launched a sharp attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over their policy of reducing the education budget both at the Centre and in other BJP ruled states.
He said that the AAP government is the only government in India and in Asia, which has the highest allocation for education. Sisodia quoted figures to prove how the education budget in the BJP ruled states have been brought down over the past few years. He said that the decreasing education budget by the BJP government amply proves that the BJP is an anti-education party and they want to ruin the future of the youth of India.
Sisodia said, "We believe that investments made in the educational sector are of utmost importance for the future of the nation. A government that is not willing to invest in education, in the youth that shapes the future of the nation, is conspiring to destroy the future of the nation. I am presenting before you, two models - based on expenditure (or, investment, as we call it) in the domain of education."
Sisodia said, "I am presenting before you some figures that will help differentiate between the two models. According to Department of Finance, GNCTD and RBI, Study of State Finances report 2019, in 2013-14, the quantum allocated to education in Delhi amounted to 16.6 per cent of the budget, whereas on Wednesday it rose to 26 per cent of the total state budget. In the same period, in Haryana, only 15.4% was allocated to education for the corresponding period and today, it stands reduced to 13 per cent. In case of UP, the allocation has been slashed from 16% to a mere 13.4%. In Punjab, the budget has been decreased from 14.2 per cent to 10.3% . During the past 5 years, the Delhi government has increased its budget for education by 10% whereas other states have seen a drastic reduction in the percentage of budget allocated to education."
He said that these figures manifest BJP's mind-set that investing in education isn't exactly a smart thing to do, as the children of today will be the adults of tomorrow and if they receive a robust education, they will have the intellectual wherewithal to question the government. The youth of this country can no longer be swayed by the empty promises of the government. This deliberate attempt by the BJP government to reduce outlays for education is to ensure that our youth remains uneducated and powerless to aspire to a good future.
"Today, the AAP government is spending 26 per cent on education. In 2013, the budget for education was a mere 5600 crore, whereas today it stands increased at 15,600 crores. There has been a three times increase in the overall budget for education. Whilst the other states have constantly reduced the budget for education. Let us have a look at the BJP model at the centre. The government is spending a mere 10% on education. They claim to increase this by another 10 per cent, taking the national average to 20 per cent in the next ten years," said Sisodia.
"We believe that quality education is directly proportional to the growth and success of a nation. It is through education that we can tackle the problems of poverty. We believe that education is the most important agenda. I challenge the BJP to participate in the upcoming Delhi elections based on providing quality education, thereby presenting their model for education," said Delhi's Education Minister Sisodia.
