NEW DELHI: Ten skill development centres set up by the Delhi government were today dedicated to homeless people jointly by Lt Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in the first appearance together by the two at a public event after the former assumed office.
Speaking at the event in West Delhi’s Tilak Nagar area, Baijal complimented the AAP government for the project while Kejriwal on his part thanked the LG for inspiring the city administration to implement such public interest initiative by gracing the function.
Skill development centres have been set up at 10 night shelters, including the one at Tilak Nagar, where the homeless will be trained by qualified teachers in skills ranging from basic sewing, beauty culture, plumbing, electrical work and a crash course in simple cooking.
“Good to see that homeless people have not been only provided shelters here, they are also being made employable so that they can earn their livelihood on their own… This is a very good initiative and I welcome it,” Baijal said.
70-year-old Baijal also said that he was happy that after assuming the office of Lt Governor, he has come to an event the first time where urban shelters and their activities are being discussed.
On his part, Kejriwal thanked Baijal for inspiring the government by coming to the event on “our request”, saying that in the coming days, he hopes that “we would work for three-four folds development of Delhi with the people of city”.
“On our request, LG spared his time for the event, I thank him for inspiring us by coming… In the coming days, we all will work for the three-four folds development of Delhi with the people of Delhi,” the Delhi Chief Minister said.
Baijal’s predecessor Najeeb Jung and the AAP government had been at loggerheads over a range of issues including transfer and posting of officers.
Jung and Kejriwal were perhaps never seen together to jointly inaugurate any project of the government during the former’s tenure.
At the function, Baijal said that government should focus on credibility of training programme so that people, who get training at night shelters here, could get employment.
“People, who stay at night shelters, are neither voters nor vote bank of any political party. In the past, no government had worked for them.
“In the last one-and-a-half years, our works towards homeless people reflects that AAP government doesn’t work for votes and instead it works for humanity. It is our responsibility to take care of them,” Kejriwal said.
The CM also said that while staying at JJ clusters in 2005-06, he had found that people, especially women, had to face a lot of problems while going for toilets in the open.
“I am happy to see that activist and NGOs, who used to criticise previous governments for bad condition of night shelters, are now praising this government.Best facilities are being provided to the homeless people,” he said. (AGENCIES)
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