Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said his government had unleashed a "revolution" in the education and health sectors.
In his Republic Day address after unfurling the Tricolour at Chhatrasal Stadium, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said his government's first budget doubled the education budget and hiked the health budget by 50 per cent. Kejriwal said the expenditure incurred on health and education sectors is investment for the better future of the country. "That is why my government's top priority is to provide better health and quality education to every citizen in the capital," he said. Kejriwal added if all the governments in the country, including the Central government, decided to focus on education and health, development in the country would be rapid.
"If children are educated well, there is no doubt they will make India proud."
The Chief Minister said the health infrastructure in Delhi was in a "bad shape" when he took charge in February 2015, with people flocking to the AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital even for minor ailments.
"In the last two years we opened mohalla clinics in a lot of areas where free medical care is being provided. We have been focussing on primary health care," he said.
"In the coming year, we will have 1,000 mohalla clinics and one will be able to find them within a radius of 2-3 kilometres."
Kejriwal reiterated his government's commitment to ensure transparency in nursery admissions in private schools while also working towards transforming government schools at the same time.
"We are working on providing better infrastructure in government schools like installing elevators and swimming pools which are not even there in most private schools," he said.
While appreciating "good work" being done by some private schools, the AAP leader said that some "bad fish" have turned education into a business. "It's our responsibility to make them fall in line. Till now, the governments hesitated to take action against private schools because of their vested interests. But we have no other interest except providing best education to children of Delhi at low cost," Kejriwal said.
He said it was the first time in years that the government stopped private schools from hiking school fees. Kejriwal was speaking at the state level celebration of 68th Republic Day organised by the Delhi government at Chhatrasal Stadium.
He took the guard of honour from the contingents of Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, Civil Defence, National Cadet Corps and the school children. A cultural programme was also presented by schoolchildren. Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Health Minister Satyendar Jain, Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra and Environment Minister Imran Hussain were also present on the occasion.