AAP's party manifesto promises Jan Lokpal in 15 days

Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday came out with its manifesto for the December 4 Delhi polls, promising to enact Jan Lokpal Bill in 15 days if voted to power.

AAP manifesto 'Sankalp Patra' also promises introduction of 'Swaraj' (self rule) to decentralise power in the national capital. To woo Sikh community, the party also says to provide justice to 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims. In addition to several sops, AAP assures to end fake encounters and false cases against Muslim youths.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led party promises to bring in the Jan Lokpal, or an anti-corruption ombudsman, within 15 days by calling an open session of Delhi assembly on December 29.

"This Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill would cover all the officials and employees of Delhi government, from the chief minister to members of Legislative Assembly.

Under this law, it would be mandatory for everyone to declare their asset. The Lokpal would have full autonomy. Administrative, financial and functional independence and powers to take action public servants," said Yogendra Yadav, head of AAP's manifesto committee, while releasing it.

Those found guilty of corruption would be sacked, sent to jail and their property would be confiscated, he added. The AAP, which is offering itself as an alternative to both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party in the elections, also promised devolution of power to the people by setting up Mohalla Sabha which would decide about the development work to be carried out, take care of sanitation, issue of death and birth certificate and monitor local government school and primary health centres among others.

Kejriwal's party, which had been attacking Delhi government over increase in electricity bills, promised to bring it down by 50 per cent by ordering an audit of accounts of distribution companies (Discoms).

"If anyone refused, their licences would be cancelled, inflated bills would be rectified, electricity metres would be checked by independent agencies," Yadav said, who was flanked by other party members including Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, Prashant Bhushan and Kumar Vishwas.

In the 50-page manifesto, AAP also assures withdrawal of cases against those who have not paid their bills during the civil disobedience movement by the party, end of "raid-raj of discoms" and encourage solar power.

Terming water as another big issue plaguing the city, AAP said its first priority would provide safer drinking water to every household. It would provide 700 litres water daily to every household and clamp down on corruption in Delhi Jal Board by bringing transparency in the department.

"The AAP promises to provide water to all, either living in authorised or unauthorised colonies, slums or jugghis, freeing all from tanker mafia. All of them would be sent to jail," Yadav said, adding Mohalla Sabha would play important role in distribution of water.

AAP also opposes privatisation of the DJB and reaffirms its commitment to the state's responsibility to provide clean water in every house. It also proposed cross subsidy on water, with no charges would be levied for the household using 700 litres per day, if any household uses more than 700 litres then they would have to pay.

The party aims to construct two lakh community and public toilets in the city, with 50 per cent of them for women, if it is voted to power.

It has promised to make the Yamuna clear by ensuring that no untreated sewage would be discharged in the river. For which, the party has proposed to redesign the sewage network and make sewage treatment plants functional.

The party assures to improve health care and education system in the Delhi. The party promises to end the contractual system of hiring of teachers, doctors and medical staff. It would open 500 new schools, more creches (aganwadi) for all children under the age of six-years.

"The government schools and creches would be monitored by an Abhivawak Sabha, an open assembly of all the parents. Also new law would be introduced to regulate fees and ban donations," Yadav said.

The party would ensure quality of education in government schools at par with the private schools, he said.

Assuring to regularise the unauthorised colonies, the AAP has promised not to remove slums till alternative plots or flats were provided to the residents. The AAP aims to provide more powers to Delhi villages with the formation of Gram Sabha, work with Centre to remove unnecessary restrictions on villages, extension of 'Lal dora' boundaries, no acquisition of land without the permission of Gram Sabha, Yadav said.

On healthcare, the AAP would ensure completion of uncompleted hospital buildings, establish new primary health centres, improving and upgrading facilities in government hospitals, promotion of ayurveda, homoeopathy, unani, naturopathy and other alternative medicines and promote generic drugs, he said.

With the safety and security becoming the major concerns for the people in Delhi after December 16 gruesome gang-rape, the party proposes to set up a "Citizen's Security Force" with special focus on safety of aged, women and children.

"Though the Delhi police is not under Delhi government, but we would pressurise Central government to ensure first information reports are registered, CCTV cameras are installed in FIR registration rooms and implement all the provisions suggested by the report of Verma Committee," he said, adding the party would also work for granting of full statehood to Delhi.

To ensure fast trial, the party would set up more courts and appoint more judges and if needed run courts in two shifts, the AAP leader said, adding special courts would be set to dispose off pending cases, and government would not seek adjournments where it is a litigant.

The AAP has promised to regularise autorickshaw fares twice a year and fares would be fixed accordingly. It has also promised to provide concessions to senior citizens, disabled

and students in Delhi metro and promote use of public transport, for which it would increase the number of buses and establish "Unified Transport Authority".

On the social front, the Kejriwal-led party promised to ensure use of SC component plan for welfare of Scheduled Caste in budget, ensure implementation reservation rules for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes in Delhi government jobs, provide zero-interest or low-cost loans for entrepreneurs from the SCs.

The party also promised job and education opportunities to young people from the Valmiki community, a prominent Dalit community in Delhi.

The AAP, which has formed a cell for 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims, said it would ensure all efforts would be made to provide justice to them. It would also ensure that fake encounters and false cases against Muslim youth shall end, improve condition of government schools, provide true second language status to Urdu and Punjabi, bring transparency in functioning of Delhi Waqf Board and resolve issues of land for graveyards.

To promote sports and culture, the party has decided to open public library in each Assembly constituencies, make museums more accessible, improve facilities for boys and girls and make available to people the sports facilities build during Commonwealth Games.

Read the manifesto here

Read the manifesto here