Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi and Education Minister Manish Sisodia.The Delhi government Thursday asserted it has a “concrete plan” to implement the proposal to make travel for women on buses free and said there is no lack of funds for it.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said a “very effective” plan is emerging and a lot of feedback is being received from the people on the proposal.
Taking a swipe at the AAP government, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri Thursday said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced the proposal of providing free-ride to women in buses and Metro trains without making any proposal.
Rejecting Puri’s charge, Sisodia said,”There is a concrete plan and also there is no lack of funds for providing free travel to women in buses and Metro trains.”
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The Union housing and urban affairs minister termed Kejriwal as a “disruptionist” and also likened the AAP government with theories of ‘broken window economics and broken window fraud’.
The deputy chief minister refused to comment on this barb from Puri, and said “we just want him to keep smiling and extend his blessings to us.”
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Kejriwal had earlier been “mocked” for similar proposals when he talked about providing free water and cheap electricity and bringing government schools at par with private ones, Sisodia said.
Delhi Transport minister Kailash Gahlot said meetings are being held with officials of his department as well as the Delhi Metro with regard to the proposal.
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“I directed the transport commissioner on June 3 regarding this proposal and on the same day, he wrote to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. Even today a meeting was held with the officials,” Gahlot said.
Puri had accused Kejriwal of issuing full page advertisements announcing his schemes with a proper proposal for it.
Sisodia said a detailed report is being prepared by the officials regarding the Delhi government’s proposal which will come out soon.
Earlier this week, Kejriwal announced that his government has proposed to make travel for women free in public transport buses and Metro trains, and hoped it will come about in next 2-3 months.
He had also said his government will pay the whole subsidy under the scheme.
