Government to study NDMC schools’ CCTV model

New Delhi: After returning from a 10-day vipassana course in Maharashtra, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday directed the education department to study the CCTV system in schools run by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to check if it could be implemented in its schools to ensure safety of children, an official said.

Mr Kejriwal also reviewed the Delhi government’s key projects, including mohalla clinics, during a meeting with his Cabinet colleagues. He came back to the national capital on Tuesday night.

At a meeting, it was observed that the NDMC’s model had been “successful” and all stakeholders, including parents had expressed “satisfaction” at the CCTV system in the civic body-run schools.

The move comes in the backdrop of the rape of a five-year-old girl at her school in Shahdara and the killing of a seven-year-old boy in a private school in Gurugram. “The chief minister asked for the NDMC model to be studied, which has been successful,” the government said in a statement.

It also stated that in the meeting, the chief minister was informed about the plan to install CCTV cameras in all schools of Delhi, the blueprint for which was being prepared. There are about 1,000 Delhi government-run schools.

He was also informed about the steps being taken and the progress made to ensure safety of children in schools.

Performance and movement of all the critical projects were also discussed ministry-wise in the meeting.

“The chief minister also directed the health department to ensure more counters for free medicines to ease the rush at hospital medicine counters,” it said.

Kejriwal also reviewed the progress of development works in unauthorised colonies of the national capital.

On mohalla clinics to be set up in schools, the chief minister asked the education  department to finalise the proposal at the earliest. He also took stock tock of the functioning of existing mohalla clinics and directed the health department to take note of complaints/shortcomings if any and resolve these by the end of the month.

The chief minister also reviewed the progress of development works in unauthorised colonies. He directed the Finance Department to ensure that DSIIDC and Irrigation and Flood Control, the nodal departments for carrying out developmental works in such colonies, do not face any hurdles due to lack of funds.

Mr Kejriwal also asked for the list of all the social schemes (SC, ST and Welfare) to check for its proper implementation.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief had taken a break to practice vipassana on September 11 during which he could not access newspapers, televisions or any other form of media.