Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a 50 per cent subsidy on Delhi Metro fares for school and college students.
Mentioning that a large number of students commute via Delhi Metro daily for educational purposes, Kejriwal proposed the concession "to alleviate the financial burden" from them.
“I am writing this letter to draw your attention to an important matter concerning the students of schools and colleges in Delhi. A large number of students in Delhi rely heavily on the metro for their daily commute to and from their educational institutions," he said.
The former Delhi chief minister proposed that the burden of the subsidy shall be borne by the state government and the Centre by a ratio of 50:50. After making bus travel free for women in Delhi, Kejriwal is now planning to make bus travel for students as well.
He also hoped that the Prime Minister would agree to this proposal. The Delhi Metro is operated in collaboration between the Delhi government and the Centre.
The decision cannot be implemented since the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is currently in place in Delhi. Such a decision can be implemented only when the new government is formed.
Kejriwal's request to Prime Minister Modi comes ahead of the BJP's 'Sankalp Patra' manifesto for Delhi elections 2025, which will be announced later in the day. In its manifesto, the BJP is likely to extend the ambit of the free bus rides scheme to include not only women but also male students and senior citizens.
The saffron party is also likely to extend existing schemes such as university special buses and women-only buses to ensure safe transportation. The fleet of CNG and electric buses will also likely be increased.
Voting for all the 70 assembly seats in Delhi will take place on February 5 and the counting of votes will be conducted on February 8.