‘Delhi Model’ on display as Punjab CM Mann visits schools, clinics

On the conclusion of his visit to various facilities, the Punjab chief minister said that the “Delhi-model” will be replicated in Punjab.

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann visited schools, hospitals and mohalla clinics of the Delhi government on Monday in a day-long tour organised by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann along with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal attend a 'Mindfulness Class' in a Delhi govt school in Chirag Enclaveon Monday. (HT)

On the conclusion of his visit to various facilities, the Punjab chief minister said that the “Delhi-model” will be replicated in Punjab -- where the Aam Aadmi Party scored a thumping win in the state assembly elections results of which were announced on March 10. Eduction reforms, better health facilities and free power were among the main poll planks for AAP in the run-up to the Punjab elections. The party has been hardselling its success in improving education and health facilities as it seeks to expand its footprint in other northern states such as Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

“The country will only progress when we learn from one another. Mirroring the Delhi government’s efforts, we will train teachers and principals in Punjab as well. We will borrow suggestions from them to reform our government schools. We will create an environment in government schools for students to thrive in; children from both rich and poor families will sit and study on the same desk. Delhi’s mohalla clinics are also being praised all over the world. We are committed to providing similar world-class healthcare facilities to people of Punjab,” Mann told reporters.

Punjab education minister Gurmeet Singh Meet and state health minister Vijay Singla and Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab Raghav Chadha accompanied Maan on his visit to schools and hospitals. Besides Kejriwal and Sisodia, heath minister Satyendar Jain, social welfare minister Rajendra Pal Gautam, MLAs Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj, and senior officers of the concerned departments showcased the facilities to the Punjab CM.

Commenting on the Delhi government school he visited, Mann said, “It has grand halls, a swimming pool. I talked to the students, many of whom have joined after leaving big private schools. Like Delhi, we will place full emphasis on education in Punjab as well. Soon, you will get to see world-class smart schools being developed in Punjab as well,” he said.

Mann also visited the Dr B R Ambedkar School of Excellence in Kalkaji. The Punjab delegation took special interest in observing the Class 10 “connected classroom”, Class 12 “smart classroom” and a JEE preparation module facilitated by Vidyamandir Classes. They also met the “Business Blaster” teams of student entrepreneurs and saw working models prepared by students in the Delhi government’s “Innovation Lab”.

Kejriwal, who is also the national convener of the AAP, said all possible help will be extended to the Punjab government to ensure state-of-the-art healthcare facilities for the people of Punjab. “When we learn from each other, fulfil Babasaheb’s dream and give the best of education to every child in the country, only then will the country progress. We will give the best possible education to every child of the country. Bhagwant Mann ji also visited one of Delhi’s luxurious hospitals and world famous Mohalla Clinics. He was very impressed, he expressed his wish to build similar hospitals and clinics in Punjab too. We will extend all possible help to the Punjab government to provide world class health facilities to the people of Punjab,” he said.

The Punjab delegation then visited an Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinic at Chirag Enclave. The health team of Delhi presented the primary healthcare model to the Punjab CM. At the Mohalla Clinic, Dr Shaili Kabra, the special officer of the Mohalla Clinic project, explained how a patient gets registered using IT tools. They were then shown how the doctors conduct checkups and provisional diagnosis at the facility. Kejriwal explained how the government offers free lab testing at the Mohalla Clinics and how the system works.

At the Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH), health minister Satyendar Jain informed the delegation that the hospital is one of the largest tertiary care centres in Delhi. It is a 650-bed hospital with focus areas of cardiology, cardiothoracic and vascular sciences, gastroenterology, GI surgery, urology, school of pulmonology and critical care.