Free electricity, water, bus rides to stay
NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday released a “guarantee card” ahead of the February 8 state assembly polls, promising that the government’s flagship schemes — free water, electricity and bus rides — will continue if the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is re-elected.
Kejriwal made at least eight new commitments, including deploying ‘mohalla marshals’ in residential areas, reducing pollution to a third, and making bus rides free for students.
Releasing the “Kejriwal ka guarantee” card, the party chief said these would be distributed in every household in Delhi so that people did not fall for the “lies” that he alleged were being spread by opposition parties. “The opposition is saying many of our schemes will only last till March 31, so this is our guarantee that these schemes will continue for the next five years; 24-hour electricity will continue and 200 units of free power will continue. Free water for those who consume up to 20,000 litres a month will also continue. All schemes of the AAP government will continue,” he said. The chief minister, whose party came to power in the 2015 assembly elections by winning 67 of the 70 constituencies in Delhi, however, clarified that the 10-point guarantee card was not the AAP’s manifesto for the assembly polls.
“This is not a manifesto. We will launch a comprehensive manifesto in seven to 10 days. The manifesto will have more things, specifically for students and teachers, among others. This card is Kejriwal’s guarantee that no matter what, the promises made in this card will be implemented if the AAP is re-elected,” Kejriwal said.