New Delhi, August 16 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said if India has to emerge as a strong nation, we need to start working on a war footing to provide excellent and free education and healthcare to all.

"Most government schools across the country are in very bad condition even though 17 crore children study in them, the future of these 17 crore children is in the dark," Kejriwal added.

"To provide good healthcare for free to every person, government hospitals will have to be developed on a large scale all over India, if it can happen in Delhi, it can happen in the whole country too," he said.

"Delhi Government spends an average of Rs 2,000 per capita annually on free healthcare, to scale it up for 130 crore Indians we need barely 2.5 lakh crore," said Kejriwal.

Kejriwal appealed to the Central government to work in collaboration with "progressive" state governments like Delhi for development of the nation. He shared a 4-point vision that could make the country a rich superpower very soon-Transform all government schools of the country into world-class schools, Expand the number of government schools, every corner of India should have a government school, Give permanent jobs to all contractual teachers and hire more educators and Teachers who would undergo excellent training and if needed, go abroad for training.

He said, “We all want India to be rich and developed and that is only possible when every Indian becomes rich. It is not possible that India becomes rich and developed while its citizens remain poor. Vice versa is also not possible that every Indian becomes rich while India remains undeveloped. I want to see every poor become rich. I have nothing against the rich but I want to make every poor person a rich person."

“Poor people have no choice but to send their children to government schools. The condition of government schools is pitiable. No classes take place there. Infrastructure is in shambles. Ceilings are leaking and walls are damaged. In such a situation, children from poor families cannot study. When they grow up, they will have to do odd jobs. If we transform the government schools across the country to make them excellent schools where they get quality education, they will write their destinies with their own hands by becoming doctors, engineers, businessmen and lawyers,” he added.
UNI CM RKM