Manifesto Check: Aam Aadmi Party

The Aam Aadmi Party in its manifesto titled ‘70 Point Action Plan’ stressed upon transparency, power, water, health, education, housing, sanitation, employment, transport, social justice, women’s rights and safety, among others. Let us take stock of how they have fared in achieving their goals in the past 5 years when they were in power in India’s capital.

Aam Aadmi Party leaders at a press conference. (Credit: AAP)

Education

The AAP manifesto focused on improving the infrastructure of Delhi’s educational system, as well as improving the quality of education, by strengthening the availability of teachers and allocating more funds to improve both primary and higher educational facilities. Here is how they fared on all their educational promises:

1. Construction of 500 new government schools:

• The AAP government had promised to build 500 schools, out of which only 30 have been built.
• However, 8,000 new classrooms have been constructed in already existing schools.

2. Higher Education Guarantee Scheme:

• As outlined in their manifesto, students have been able to avail educational loans up to Rs. 10 lakhs without the need for any collateral or a third party guarantee, given that they have finished class 12th.

3. Opening 20 new degree colleges:

• The AAP government had promised to open 20 new colleges under the Delhi administration as well as to double the existing seat capacity of other colleges. However, no new degree colleges have been built.
• Only the foundation stone for two new campuses: Ambedkar University and DIET at Baburam School Campus, Shahadra, has been laid down.

4. Regulate private school fees:

• As promised the AAP government in its attempt to regulate private school fees has asked over 575 schools to refund excess fee to parents.

5. Increased Spending

• In its manifesto, the AAP claimed that increasing spending on both health and education will be its topmost priority and it successfully increased the spending budget on education from Rs. 4,770 crores in 2014–15 to Rs. 15,000 crores in 2019–20.

Electricity

Before coming to power, the AAP government had not only promised to reduce electricity bills by half for all but also in line with their party’s motto, the introduction of a more efficient and accountable system to regulate power generation and distribution in the city. Here is how they fared in doing the same in the past five years:

1. Electricity bills to be reduced into half:

• The AAP has successfully been able to provide citizens with free electricity up to 200 units as well as provide a 50% subsidy for consumption between 201–400 units.

2. CAG Audit of Power Discoms

• While the AAP had promised to conduct a comprehensive performance audit of discoms by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the discoms challenged the audit directive in courts and the matter is now sub judice.

3. Delhi’s Own Power Station

• The Delhi government had proposed to convert the Rajghat Power Plant into a waste-to-energy plant, however, no work has been done for the same since the announcement.

4. Delhi to be made a Solar City

• Before the election, the AAP had promised to facilitate a multi-phased shift to renewable and alternative sources of energy.
• Under the same guidelines, it launched the Mukhyamantri Solar Yojana in 2018 and has so far successfully achieved 146MW of solar capacity.
• A generation-based incentive of Rs.2 per unit of solar energy is also being offered to domestic consumers and charitable organizations.

Water

Along with the promise to provide universal access to clean drinking water to everyone in Delhi, as a long term solution to the water problem of the city, the AAP also promised to encourage rainwater harvesting. Here’s how the AAP has fared on its promises to provide better water facilities to the people of Delhi:

1. Water As A Right

• The AAP government had promised universal access to clean drinking water to everyone in Delhi, as well as the introduction of a time-bound plan to provide all residents of the city with access to piped water regardless of their legal status.
• While about 405 unauthorised colonies have been connected to the water supply network, over 650 jhuggi-jhopri clusters and 100 unauthorised colonies still do not have a water connection.

Credit: India Water Portal

2. Free Lifeline Water

• As per their promise, AAP has been able to ensure free lifeline water of up to 20 kiloliters to every household per month in the city.

3. Revive the Yamuna

• The AAP had promised to revive the Yamuna by ensuring that the discharge of untreated water and industrial effluents into the river will be strictly prohibited, however, no progress has been made on the same.
• A pilot project was launched to help conserve rainwater in the Yamuna floodplains, but there has been no development on that front as well.
• A policy was approved by Delhi Jal Board in May 2019 to control the discharge of wastewater into the Yamuna, one is yet to see implementation on this front.

4. Promote Rainwater Harvesting

• In line with their promise to promote rainwater harvesting, the AAP government has made it mandatory to harvest rainwater for all houses above 100 sq.m.
• However, so far only 1200 rainwater harvesting units have been installed in the city.

Health

The party promised to reduce the expenses of the “aam aadmi” through the introduction of generic medicines, as well as, expand the health infrastructure of the city to make it more accessible. Here is how the party fared in improving the health infrastructure in the city:

1. Increased Spending on Healthcare

• In its manifesto, the AAP claimed that increasing spending on health will be its topmost priority.
• The budget allocation has increased from Rs.2,124 crores in 2012–13 to Rs. 7,500 crores in 2019–20.

2. 900 new Primary Healthcare Centers (PHC) to be built

• In an attempt to improve the health infrastructure of the city, the AAP had promised to build 900 new PHCs. However, the number of total PHCs in the city has only improved from 2 in 2014 to 7 in 2018.

3. 1000 Mohalla Clinics to be built

• Out of 1000 promised Mohalla Clinics, only 400 have been built so far.

4. 30,000 New Hospital beds will be added

• The AAP had promised to build 30,000 new hospital beds to improve health infrastructure in the city. However, only 394 beds have been added in Delhi government-run hospitals and 9000 beds added in private sector hospitals.

5. Quality Healthcare to all

In an attempt to make quality healthcare affordable for the “aam aadmi”, the AAP has made 31 surgeries and 13 diagnostic tests free in select Private hospitals across Delhi for people from all income groups.

6. Quality Drugs for all at Affordable Prices

• The charges for diagnostic tests and medicine at government hospitals have been waived.
• However, while the Essential Drug List (ESL) was increased from 406 to 1390 medicines in 2016, it was shrunk back to 816 medicines in 2018.

Sanitation

The AAP in its manifesto promised improved sanitation, sewerage and health services infrastructure for all Delhi residents. Here is how they fared in improving the condition of the same in the city:

1. Build 2,00,000 public toilets

• The AAP had promised to build two lakh toilets across Delhi, however, only 20,000 have been constructed so far.

2. Better Waste Management

• The promised ban on plastic bags has not been implemented. However, as per the National Green Tribunal’s order of 2017, plastic bags of less than 50 microns are prohibited.
• The party had also promised it would encourage the use of good practices in waste management techniques, including recycling. No policy on recycling or reusing waste generated has been introduced so far.

Women’s Safety and Security

Here is how the AAP fared in keeping their promise of making Delhi safe for all women:

1. Install 2 lakh Street Lights in Delhi

• While plans were drawn to install the 2 lakh promised street lights, no progress has been reported on the same.

2. Install CCTV cameras in DTC buses, bus stands, and crowded places

• In an attempt to take public places safer for women, AAP has successfully installed CCTV cameras in 200 buses.
• This year, the PWD announced the procurement of 1.4 lakh CCTV cameras for residential areas, although the implementation is yet to begin.

3. Speedy Justice through 47 Fast Track Courts

• In their manifesto, AAP had promised to push for the creation of fast-track courts, which would be entirely dedicated to handling cases of sexual assault and other crimes against women.
• In May 2019, the Delhi High Court reminded the government to implement its order and set up 18 fast track courts. While the Delhi Cabinet approved 18 fast track courts to be set up in July 2019, no further implementation has been seen.

4. Suraksha Button

• The government had promised to provide a Suraksha/SOS button on every mobile phone. However, the “Himmat” mobile application launched by them which contains the SOS button is only available on android phones and has limited reach.

Source: NCRB

5. Improve women safety

• Rape cases in the city have gone up from 702 in 2012 to 2,135 in 2018, a jump of over 200%.
• In 2019 till July, 1,176 rape cases have already been registered.

Governance

The Arvind Kejriwal led AAP credits its birth to the anti-corruption movement and here is how they fared in keeping promises of fair and transparent governance in the past 5 years:

Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal during the 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement. Credit: Deccan Chronicle

1. Delhi Janlokpal Bill

• The first item of their 70-point manifesto, the AAP had promised to legislate the Delhi Janlokpal Bill after coming to power.
• However, although the bill has been passed the Assembly in 2015, it is still pending approval from the Centre.

2. Mohalla Sabhas in each of the 70 constituencies (Swaraj Bill)

• The AAP had promised to legislate the Swaraj Bill to help devolve direct power to the people. While 2,972 Mohalla Sabhas have been formed in the 70 constituencies, they are still waiting for approval from the Centre.

3. Justice for victims of Anti-Sikh 1984 Carnage

• Although the AAP ordered an SIT probe into the carnage of the 1984 killings, no progress has been made on that front.

4. Affordable housing for all

• The AAP has made no progress on its promise of constructing affordable housing for lower-income groups.
• Minister Manish Sisodia said that 14 housing projects for construction of houses for economically weaker sections are at various stages of planning.

5. Regularisation of Unauthorized colonies

• The AAP government had promised that it would regularize unauthorized colonies within one year of government formation. However, it is only the BJP that announced the regularization of all unauthorised colonies. The issue is currently set to be tabled in the parliament.

Economy and Unemployment

Here is how the AAP government fared in keeping its promises of making Delhi a start-up hub and creating more jobs to boost the economy of the city:

1. Delhi to be a Start-up Hub

• The government has failed to create the three million square feet of affordable business incubation space it promised as a pilot project for the same.
• The government has supported incubation centres at 11 universities/colleges in New Delhi.

2. Create 8 Lakh Jobs

• The AAP had also promised it would create eight lakh new jobs in the next five years. However, as per an RTI reply from the Delhi Employment Exchange, that number of people who have gotten jobs between 2016–2018 are as follows:
• 2016: 102 jobs
• 2017: 66 jobs
• 2018 (April) 46 jobs

Transportation

Finally, here is how the AAP fared in keeping their promise of providing Delhi residents with more buses and a more unified transportation system:

1. Unified Transport Authority

• No progress has been made on AAP’s promise of providing a unified transportation authority which would help formulate holistic transportation policies for all forms of transport, including, buses, autos, rickshaws etc.

2. Large Scale Expansion in Bus services (Add at least 5000 news buses)

• While the AAP had promised to do a “massive” expansion in bus services by adding 5,000 buses in 5 years, the number of operational DTC buses was 3,974 in 2017–18 and it reduced to 3,897 in 2018–19 against a target of 4,176.
• The government announced that 4,300 new DTC buses are being added, the first fleet of news buses arrived in August 2019.

Read the infographic on the manifesto check here.

By Vivek Gangarapu and Shreya Maskara

From Polstrat, a political consultancy which aims to shift the narrative of political discourse in the country from a problem-centric to a solutions-oriented approach.

Read more about Polstrat here. Follow us on Medium to keep up to date with Indian politics.