CCTV cameras in government schools, self-defence training for girls and construction of 30 new school buildings were among the proposals for the education sector in the Delhi budget.
In keeping with past budgets of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, the education sector remained the focus in Finance Minister Manish Sisodia’s Budget for 2018-2019, with education receiving the highest allocation of any sector at 26% of the total budget. In 2017-2018, the government had allocated 23.5% of the total budget to education.
Mr. Sisodia proposed ₹13,997 crore education budget, of which ₹13,238 crore was revenue budget and ₹759 crore was capital budget. Among the proposals was the installation of 1.2 lakh CCTV cameras in schools at a cost of ₹175 crore. Mr. Sisodia said the parents of the students would be able to watch their children online through these cameras.
For self-defence classes for girls, ₹10 crore had been allocated. To boost infrastructure, 12,748 additional classrooms and 30 new school buildings was proposed. In addition, nursery classes in 366 Sarvodaya Vidyalayas would be started.
Language academies
The budget also allocated ₹36 crore for implementing new schemes, including establishing 13 new language academies and setting up an English Academy. The government also proposed a scheme for ranking all government schools in order to promote healthy competition.
