In a major announcement ahead of the upcoming elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday launched the 'Aam Aadmi Bachat Patra' (Savings Certificate), campaign highlighting the substantial financial relief that AAP's governance provides to Delhi's families.
According to Kejriwal, every household in Delhi saves an average of Rs 25,000 a month due to the AAP government's welfare schemes and if the party returns to power, its new initiatives will add another Rs 10,000 to people's savings.
Kejriwal launched the 'AAP ka Bachat Patra' campaign on Friday in the Chandni Chowk Assembly constituency. He visited a family in Chandni Chowk constituency and sat with them to assess their savings under the schemes run by the AAP government, as well as the benefits they would receive after the implementation of newly announced schemes.
Under the AAP government's policies, an average Delhi family saves Rs 25,000 per month and if people bring the party back to power by pressing the button against the 'jhadhu' (broom -- AAP's election symbol), then its new schemes will add another Rs 10,000 to this.
"Our volunteers will reach out to people and get them to fill the 'Bachat Patra', in which they will note how much they are saving through our free welfare initiatives," Kejriwal said.
Under the AAP government's policies, a Delhi family saves an average of Rs 25,000 per month and if people bring the party back to power by pressing the button against the 'jhadhu' (broom - AAP's election symbol), then its new schemes will add another Rs 10,000 to this, he said. He said schemes like free bus travel for students, Mahila Samman Yojana and Sanjeevani Yojana, all proposed in the AAP's manifesto, are among such initiatives.
With the Union Budget set to be presented on February 1, Kejriwal contrasted the AAP's policies with the BJP's approach. "Budgets usually bring inflation and impact household finances. But in Delhi, our government ensures savings for every family. On the other hand, the BJP has repeatedly said it will discontinue these benefits if it comes to power," he claimed.
Under the AAP government, every rupee collected from taxpayers is spent on public welfare, which includes mohalla clinics, schools, hospitals, free electricity, roads and metro expansion, he said. Kejriwal also accused the BJP of diverting public funds to benefit its corporate allies.
"We use the budget for the welfare of people while the BJP directs it towards its businessman friends. In Mumbai, they handed over Dharavi land to one of their associates. In Delhi, their goal is to grab land and not to serve people," he said. Later in the day, the AAP supremo presented a 'Bachat Patra' to a family in Chandni Chowk assembly constituency, a party statement said.
"I handed over 'AAP ka Bachat Patra' to the family and calculated that they would save Rs 50,200 per month," he said.
Kejriwal urged people not to make the "mistake" of voting for the BJP and losing these savings, he said.The 70-member Delhi assembly goes to polls on February 5 and the results will be announced on February 8.
In the 2015 and 2020 Delhi Assembly polls, the AAP won 67 and 62 seats respectively. The BJP won three seats in 2015 and eight in 2020 while the Congress drew a blank in the last two elections.