The party promises special citizen security force for each Mohalla rather than enhancing policing standards.
The Aam Aadmi Party manifesto, as seen in its first half, heavily relies on Gandhian principles. They look good on paper though, but how much they will deliver when applied in daily life, will be interesting to note.
The party has given a big space to sanitation and waste management, health and environment conservation. Here are the highlights:
- Sanitation and waste management: AAP has promised to build more than two lakhcommunity and public toilets for the Delhi janata. The party has also promised to install small, decentralized sewage plants for proper waste management and treatment.
Although the Shiela Dikshit government already has a campaign running for separate disposal of biodegradable and non-degradable waste, the party mentioned doing the same in its manifesto. Also, it talked of heavily penalizing people for not complying with environmental norms set by them if formed government.
The tone of this part is surely harsh which may offend people.
- Environment conservation: The party has given priority to cleaning up of Yamuna and has promised that no sewer will be dumped in the river. They promise preventing encroachment on Yamuna river-bed and protecting Delhi Ridge by clamping down on encroachment. AAP has also promised to let the afforestation programme in Delhi running even when Congress is out of power.
- Women security: The promises that AAP made in this issue was quite experimenting on its part and interesting for us. The party promises to form special citizen security forces in each Mohallas for the people in distress. The party feels that this will ensure security of a particular area. We do not understad why don’t they speak of raising the standards of policing in the state.
The party will establish fast track courts for swift justice to women in cases of crimes against them. It has also promised to ensure lighting and security provisions on roads, parks, buses and all public spaces.
- Education: AAP will improve the standards of government schools and has promised to bring a law for regulating fees in private institutions. New colleges will be opened and Delhi government run universities will be expanded. Employment of contractual/temporary teachers in both government and private schools and colleges shall be stopped and all posts would be regularised.
- Health: Government health care facilities will be made as good as private hospital facilities. Use of generic medicine will be promoted. More money will be given towards research and development. A special task force will be created to combat dengue and other pollution-borne diseases in Delhi.
- Transport: The party promises establishing one transport authority for a holistic transport policy. DTC bus and metro services will be expanded. To improve the last mile connectivity, all restrictions on rikshaws, autorikshaws, mini vans, feeder buses and e-rikshaws will be removed. They will be provided with proper stand and auto fares will be regularized. The party has also promised to provide discount for students and elderly who travel by metro.
- Others: The party has also promised to effectively combat unemployment and provide social justice to people. It has also promised to regulate unauthorized colonies and slums. The party will simplify VAT structures and will not let FDI in retail. It has promised to simplify licensing procedure for industries and ending contractual jobs which require 365 days a year. It has also promised to improve working conditions of rag-pickers and provide fixed location and license to street vendors.
