NEW DELHI: In a major initiative aimed at revitalizing the core sectors of Health and Education besides other crucial sectors to propel Punjab on the high growth trajectory, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday signed a Knowledge Sharing Agreement (KSA) with his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal.
Interacting with the media after having inked this agreement, both Chief Ministers Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal described it as a historic initiative for the well being and prosperity of people of both the states.
The agreement signed between the Punjab and Delhi government envisages, the Government of NCT of Delhi (hereinafter referred as GNCTD) and the Government of Punjab (hereinafter referred as GOP) enter into this Knowledge Sharing Agreement (hereinafter referred as KSA) to enable them to cooperate for the public welfare. This KSA enables the two Governments to share knowledge, experience and skills for the mutual welfare of the people of their respective territories. The KSA enables the two Governments to send and receive officials, ministers and other personnel to learn and share their knowledge, experience and skills for public welfare.
Announcing to replicate Delhi Model in the state, the Chief Minister revealed that 117 Government schools and equal number of Mohalla Clinics will be set up with one each in every assembly segment across the state to impart quality education to the students and the state-of-the-art healthcare facilities to the people. Bhagwant Mann said that he was elated as today the state has inked an agreement with Delhi government, which has already evolved a world class Health and Education model adding that it will help the residents of Punjab to avail these top class facilities. Divulging the rationale behind this agreement, the Chief Minister said, “Every individual should learn like a student throughout his life and should never hesitate to adopt the good in life from wherever he gets.” With only this motive, they have signed the aforesaid agreement.
Asserting that he will never stop here, Bhagwant Mann said that he will certainly visit other states even some countries across the globe for the holistic development of the state whenever and wherever it is required. Brushing aside the criticism by the opposition, he categorically said that this is not one sided agreement but both the states would be mutually benefitted from it. Bhagwant Mann said that opposition was unnecessarily making lot of hue and cry just for the sake of hollow criticism devoid of any tangible base.
Pointing out further, the Chief Minister said that Punjab would be eventually benefitted from the Health and Education model of Delhi, the people of National capital Territory would too be benefitted from Punjab’s vast experience and expertise in the field of agriculture. He said that the Delhi government had sent their teachers to Finland, Cambridge and other places to brush up their teaching skills for the benefit of students. Bhagwant Mann bemoaned that the previous governments in Punjab have hardly paid any attention towards Education sector in the state.
The Chief Minister said that merely by painting the school buildings they were rechristened as Smart Schools whereas quality education in these schools was a distant dream. He said that in Delhi 25% of its budget was spend on education whereas in Punjab it was merely two percent. Bhagwant Mann said that 19000 schools of the state where 25 lakh students are attaining education needs ultra modern facilities and modern infra structure which will be now provided by Punjab government on Delhi Model.
Bhagwant Mann rued that in Health sector the state has expert Medical and para medical staff but they lack ultra modern infrastructural facilities to treat people. Sharing an anecdote, Bhagwant Mann said that as Member of Parliament he wanted to give AC Ambulance to Health department but they refused to take it citing that they don’t have requisite staff to drive it. He said that Punjab government will soon embark a scheme to make Agriculture a profitable venture so that farmers’ suicides can be checked.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab government is committed to restore the pristine glory of the state adding that they have got a mandate of people for this cause and it will be fulfilled soon. He said that every Punjabi residing here or abroad wants to steer Punjab as No.1 state in the country and we will surely realize dream of every Punjabi. Bhagwant said that every NRI Punjabi is committed for this noble cause and they have already expressed keen desire to contribute enormously for the development of schools, hospitals besides the overall development of villages on modern lines.
The Chief Minister said that concerted efforts are being made for making Punjab a drug free state. He said that a three pronged strategy is being formulated not only for curbing the menace of drugs but also for ensuring proper treatment and rehabilitation of the drug addicts so as to enable them to lead a life with dignity.
On the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Delhi Manish Sisodia, Punjab Cabinet Ministers Dr. Vijay Singla and Meet Hayer, Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, Health Minister Delhi Satinder Jain, Chief Secretary Punjab Anirudh Tiwari, Chief Secretary Delhi Naresh Kumar and others were also present.