Kejriwal pitches Delhi model for nation, slams Centre on Manipur

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that India cannot become a global leader until every citizen has access to 24x7 electricity supply, quality education, and healthcare. Kejriwal criticized the central government for failing to provide these basic amenities and attacked a new law that gives the Union government control over Delhi's administration. He also spoke about the need to address power cuts, improve education, and provide free healthcare to all citizens. Kejriwal's speech focused on his government's flagship programs and his vision for the country's development.

India cannot become a global leader till every citizen gets 24x7 electricity supply, quality education and health care, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday, showcasing the Delhi governance model and attacking the Centre over continuing violence in Manipur.

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In his Independence Day speech, Kejriwal spelt out his vision for the country’s development, focussed on free and reliable power supply, good government schools and mohalla clinics --- his government’s flagship programmes -- and accused successive governments of having failed to provide these basic amenities. He also attacked a new law that gave the Union government control over Delhi’s bureaucracy, said giving every citizen 200 free units of powers will cost ₹1.5 lakh crore, and asked the audience whether they wanted this amount for free power or loan write-offs for industrialists.

“We hear that some states have 7-8 hours power cuts. I want to ask you which developed country of the world has power cuts. Unless we address the 7-8 hours of power cuts we cannot become vishwa guru (global leader). We will have to provide 24-hour power to the people,” he said at north Delhi’s Chhatrasal stadium.

“India has an installed capacity of 4.2 lakh megawatt of electricity. The peak power demand is 2 lakh megawatt. Even then we do not get an uninterrupted power supply. Mismanagement, corruption, and lack of vision are the reasons behind this,” Kejriwal added.

Kejriwal -- a prominent leader of the Opposition INDIA grouping -- also attacked the Union government over ethnic clashes in Manipur and the recent communal violence in Haryana.

“Manipur is burning. One community is fighting another community, they are burning each other’s shops, raping each other’s women. In Haryana also two communities are fighting with each other. In this age of science and technology if we keep fighting with each other, how will India become a global leader? If India has to become the global leader, then 140 crore people will have to live like a family and team,” Kejriwal said.

“Only speech cannot make India vishwa guru..,” he added, in what was an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has repeatedly said his aim to restore India’s rightful position on the world stage.

Kejriwal also hit out at the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, which was codified into law last week, putting the control of the city’s administration in the hands of the Centre. He said the law snatched the powers of the elected government but added that despite obstacles , welfare schemes such as free electricity, bus rides,health care, and schools will continue in the Capital.

“An ordinance was brought to snatch the rights of the people of Delhi and later a law was passed. People are asking how we will function. I assure the two crore people of Delhi that we will continue our work, and will fight it (the amended law) in the Supreme Court and return the democratic powers of the people of Delhi. The work which is going on will continue uninterrupted even though it may slow down. Since I became CM, they have been creating obstacles in my path, but people will continue to get free education, health care, electricity and bus rides,” Kejriwal said.

A large chunk of his 34-minute speech was dedicated to how some key problems in the sectors of power, education and health care could be fixed by weeding out “mismanagement” and “eradicating corruption”.

“In some states, there are 7-8 hours long power cuts. All developed countries in the world provide 24x7 electricity. India cannot become a global superpower with prolonged power cuts. Industry cannot flourish, and farmers cannot sow seeds without reliable power supply. In our country, people don’t get 24x7 electricity and suffer frequent power disruptions. Because of the mismanagement, corruption and lack of vision people are at the receiving end,” Kejriwal said.

Drawling a parallel with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)- ruled Delhi and Punjab, Kejriwal said the two states had a similar situation before his party came to power.

“In 2014 Delhi had 7-8 hours of power cuts due to mismanagement. Now Delhi has 24x7 power supply; In the last year (since the AAP came to power) Punjab is also getting 24 hours power supply. The country can also get 24 hours power supply if we improve management, and eradicate corruption. It will take 3-4 years to fix the erratic power supply situation in the country. If the existing power plants function at 100% capacity, power will become cheaper,” Kejriwal said, adding that both Delhi and Punjab provide free electricity up to 200 units per month.

Kejriwal said he had a plan to give cheap power to the people.

“I want to put two options before country. If we provide 200 units of electricity free to all consumers, it will cost ₹1.5 lakh crore. We read in newspapers that ₹1.5 lakh crore debt of four big businessmen was waived off in the last few years. The country should decide if the electricity of all consumers should be free or if the debt of four businessmen should be waived off,” Kejriwal said.

Stressing on the role of quality free education in development, Kejriwal said India could not become a world leader without good education to everyone.

“In all developed countries, students get free quality education. 250 million students go to schools in India, out of which 170 million students go to government schools. Except those in Delhi, most of the government schools (of the country) are in a shambles. India cannot become vishwa guru with 170 million students going to such schools. The central government has planned to transform 14,500 government schools in next five years. India has one million government schools. At this pace, transforming all schools will take 150 years,” Kejriwal said.

To make every government school world-class in five years, ₹6 lakh crore will be needed, the CM said. “I have done all the calculations. It will cost ₹1.25 lakh crore every year. It is not much for India....If we end corruption everyone will get good education,” Kejriwal added.

Kejriwal said poor people couldn’t become rich if students don’t get good education or health care.

“Illness makes people poor in our country. All developed countries provide good free health care to all citizens. Unless everyone born in this country gets good health care, India cannot become the world leader. I have done the calculations..1 lakh mohalla clinics can be opened in every village in two years by spending ₹10,000 each. Every district hospital can be converted into a 500 bed multi-specialty hospital. It requires ₹1.5 lakh crore. ₹2.5 lakh crore is needed for providing free medicines, tests and health care services to all 140 crore people. Once ₹4 lakh crore is spent by all governments in the country on health care, no more money is needed. If mismanagement and corruption are fixed, everyone can get quality health care,” said Kejriwal.

He drew a contrast between debt waiver for firms, and social welfare. “The people of this country need to take a decision whether the government should run for a handful of millionaires or for the welfare of the people. The country currently has too much negativity, it needs positivity to progress,” Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal also batted for reforms in the Goods and Services Tax regime. “The businessmen of the country are in trouble. GST is very complicated ...the government should take tax from traders in a very simple way…” said Kejriwal.

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva accused Kejriwal of “misusing” the occasion for propagating his political agenda. “It is regrettable that Arvind Kejriwal misused the Independence Day speech for launching political diatribe against the Centre. He spent a large part of his speech on his government’s electorally motivated freebies schemes,” Sachdeva said.