Breaking News: AAP releases party manifesto for Delhi Assembly election, guarantees quality education, health, clean water

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday released the party manifesto for the upcoming Delhi Assembly election, saying that the vision of the party is to make every family prosperous. The AAP guaranteed quality education, health, clean water, 24-hour electricity to the people of Delhi asserted Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. The manifesto comes a few days ahead of the voting for the election. The party has also promised the doorstep delivery of rations and free pilgrimage to 10 lakh senior citizens in its manifesto for the Delhi polls. Polling on 70 Assembly seats of Delhi will be held on February 8 and the counting of votes will take place on February 11.

The manifesto has two parts--the first part is the ten guarantees that the AAP has already issued and the second part explains in detail the works that the AAP will do in the next five years. The party said that the AAP government passed the Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill in 2015, which has been pending with the Central government for the last four years, adding that the struggle of the AAP government will continue. It said that after the success of Happiness Curriculum and Entrepreneurship Curriculum introduced in schools by the Delhi Government, the Deshbhakti Curriculum will also be introduced.

Apart from implementing the 10 guarantees of Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party promises the following landmark initiatives in its Manifesto for 2020 Assembly election: 

1. DELHI JAN LOKPAL BILL: Aam Aadmi Party had passed the Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill 2015 in Delhi Assembly in December 2015 and it is pending with the Central government since last 4 years. AAP resolves to continue its struggle to get the Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill passed by the Central government. 

2. DELHI SWARAJ BILL: Delhi Government had approved the formation of 2,972 Mohalla Sabhas in 70 Assembly constituencies across the city in June 2016 as the first step in devolution of power to the people and making them direct participants in solving day-to-day issues affecting their quality of life. We will pursue with the Centre to bring in a strong Delhi Swaraj Bill that will formalize the roles and responsibilities of 
Mohalla Sabhas and ensure adequate funds and functions in the hands of the community. 

3. DOORSTEP DELIVERY OF RATION: We will introduce doorstep delivery of ration as a revolutionary initiative to ensure dignity, transparency and accountability in the supply of food ration and ensure food security for all. 

4. TEERTH YATRA FOR 10 LAKH SENIOR CITIZENS: Our senior citizens have spent their entire lives in the upbringing of their children. They are hardly able to fulfill their own wishes such as a visit to a holy site of pilgrimage. AAP has taken upon itself to fulfil the wishes of senior citizens. We will take 10 lakh, senior citizens, in Delhi for Teerth Yatras over the next 5 years. 

5. DESHBHAKTI CURRICULUM: Building on the successes of Happiness Curriculum and Entrepreneurship Curriculum introduced in Delhi government schools, Deshbhakti Curriculum will be introduced. 

6. SPOKEN ENGLISH FOR YOUTH: We will introduce spoken English, soft skills and personality development classes for students who have completed their schooling from any Delhi school, government or private, in the last 5 years, to raise their employment opportunities and income potential. 

7. WORLD'S LARGEST METRO NETWORK: We will extend Delhi's metro network to 500 km making it one of the world's largest metro networks and will connect several new areas such as Burari, Kirari, Bijwasan, Narela, Karawal Nagar, Mangolpuri and others. 

8. YAMUNA RIVERSIDE DEVELOPMENT: Along with reviving Yamuna river, we will work together with the Central government to develop a beautiful riverside along the banks of Yamuna. This will play a big role in maintaining the Yamuna Eco-System and in creating a new tourist destination for Delhi. 

9. WORLD-CLASS ROADS: Well-designed, cater to the needs of all its users are essential features of a world-class city. Delhi's roads will be redesigned on these lines starting with a pilot of 40 km of roads within a year. 

10. APPOINTMENT OF NEW SAFAI KARMACHARIS: Making Delhi's streets clean isn't possible without an adequate number of Safai Karmacharis. We will ensure new appointments of Safai Karmacharis as per the 2011 census of Delhi's population and taking into account the rapid expansion of residential colonies in Delhi. 

11. COMPENSATION OF RS 1 CRORE FOR DECEASED SAFAI KARMACHARIS: Safai Karmacharis play the most important role in keeping the city clean. We salute their contribution and shall award a compensation of Rs 1 Crore to families of all those Safai Karmacharis who die while performing the duty. 

12. NO RAID RAJ: We shall continue providing a free and fair business environment without raid raj to all businesses in Delhi like in the past five years. We will work closely with the trade and business community with a spirit of trust and collaboration to strengthen Delhi's economy. 
beautifully landscaped and safe roads that 

13. PROTECTION FROM SEALING: We will continue to take all legal and administrative measures to put pressure on the Central government, DDA and MCD to not allow sealing of industries/shops and ensure that the sealed shops are opened. 

14. UPGRADATION OF MARKETS AND INDUSTRIAL AREAS: We will allocate adequate funds for infrastructure development and upgradation of market and industrial areas. 

15. RATIONALISATION OF CIRCLE RATES: We will carry out a comprehensive review and rationalization of circle rates across Delhi with actual market prices so that it protects the interests of the property owners. 

16. AMNESTY FOR OLD VAT CASES: We shall bring out an amnesty scheme to dispose off old VAT cases that have been pending since 2017 or earlier 

17. 24X7 MARKETS IN DELHI: We will establish 24x7 markets on a pilot basis in key commercial areas where shops, restaurants etc. can remain open round the clock. This will make Delhi a bustling, 24x7 hospitable city and also contribute to tourism and the overall economy. 

18. ENHANCE WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN ECONOMY: We will undertake initiatives to connect housewives with job and business opportunities from or near their homes so that they can contribute to their household income as well as to Delhi's and nation's economic development. Women shall be provided access to cheap capital and requisite skills. 

19. OWNERSHIP RIGHTS FOR RESETTLEMENT COLONIES: We shall pursue the Central government to ensure full ownership rights with freehold status for residents of resettlement colonies. 

20. REGULARIZATION AND REGISTRY OF UNAUTHORIZED COLONIES: The Central government has still not regularized and changed the land-use of unauthorised colonies. AAP will continue to put pressure on Central government to ensure all of Delhi's unauthorised colonies get regularized and homeowners get proper registries for their houses. 

21. SIMPLIFY CRITERIA FOR OBC CERTIFICATE: The current requirement of having an address proof of Delhi from or before 1993 for being eligible for an OBC certificate is retrograde. We will pursue the Central government to replace this with the requirement of an address proof in Delhi for the past 5 years. 

22. DUE RECOGNITION FOR BHOJPURI: We shall pursue with Central government for the Bhojpuri language to be included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India. 

23. JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS OF 1984 ANTI-SIKH GENOCIDE: We will ensure that the findings of the Supreme Court-appointed SIT under Justice SN Dhingra are acted upon promptly and the victims of the 1984 Anti-Sikh genocide get justice. 

24. REGULARISATION OF CONTRACT EMPLOYEES: We will ensure all contractual employees employed with the Delhi government are made permanent. 

25. PRO-FARMER LAND REFORMS: We shall pursue with Central government to amend Sections 33 and 81 of the Delhi Land Reform Act to remove the unjust restrictions on farmers' rights on their land and so that they can use it as per their wishes. 

26. CONTINUED COMPENSATION TO FARMERS ON CROP LOSS: We will continue providing the highest compensation in the country of Rs 50,000 per hectare to farmers who suffer from crop loss. 

27. LEGAL PROTECTION FOR STREET VENDORS: Delhi will become the first state in India to give legal protection to street vendors and hawkers. We will issue the certificate of vending within 6 months and set up international quality kiosks to prevent the harassment of street vendors at the hands of MCD and Delhi Police. 

28. FULL STATEHOOD FOR DELHI: AAP will continue to push for full statehood for Delhi within the Constitutional framework using its social, political and moral authority. Our proposal for full statehood is defined in the draft State of Delhi Bill 2016 brought out by the current AAP government. The draft bill proposes that the New Delhi area (under the jurisdiction of New Delhi Municipal Council) which is of national and international importance and has only 3% of Delhi's population, be kept under the ambit of Central government. The rest of the areas will transition to a full state. This will bring in overall efficiency and democratic accountability in the administration of the national capital. It will also prove to be a long-term solution for issues like MCD-led sealing, deteriorating law and order, non-provision of land for building new schools, colleges, clinics, hospitals etc. 

CM Kejriwal has also appealed the BJP to announce their chief ministerial candidate till 1 pm on Wednesday. He gave an open challenge to have a debate, saying that both parties can select anchors of their choices. "If BJP doesn’t announce, then we’ll meet at 1 pm again tomorrow (Wednesday) for another conference," said CM Kejriwal.