Ashish Sood announces INR 417 crore grant for DU colleges and unveils new education initiatives

NEW DELHI: With the BJP-led Delhi government completing 100 days in office, Cabinet minister Ashish Sood on Wednesday listed out the achievements of the departments under him, including releasing grant-in-aid of Rs 417 crore to 12 Delhi University colleges to introducing AI-based learning in government schools and announcing a fee regulation bill.Addressing a press conference, Sood, whose portfolios include education, home, power, and urban development, said, “Delhi government has released Rs 275 crore as the first instalment of funding to 12 fully state-funded Delhi University colleges, ensuring timely salaries and operational support.“The previous government did not release grants to DU where students from middle-class families study. But we released the money on April 1,” Sood said.Under the CM Digital Education Scheme, 1,200 students have received laptops, while a long-pending scholarship backlog has been cleared with the release of Rs 19 crore to 1,300 students from low-income families, the minister said.Stating that free online coaching for NEET and CUET has been launched in partnership with MSTC and edtech platforms such as Physics Wallah, Sood said, “This step is meant for those students who cannot afford expensive coaching.” To bring more accountability in private education, the Delhi School Education Transparency Bill has been introduced, which prohibits private schools from forcing parents to buy books and uniforms from designated shops – a practice that went unchecked for decades, the minister said.Sood also said that reforms in the EWS (economically weaker section) admission process have ensured fairness, preventing misuse of the quota. So far, 28,000 children have secured seats in schools, and a draw for the remaining 9,800 will be held on July 1, he said.The minister also said that the government is establishing 75 CM Shri Schools featuring AI-based learning, smart classrooms, and training in data science and robotics, for which a special allocation of Rs 100 crore has been made.The government will set up Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Language Labs in 100 schools to teach foreign languages such as French and German, while 250 schools will have digital libraries, he said.Shifting focus to urban development, Sood reaffirmed the government’s commitment that no slum will be demolished in Delhi. He said the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) has been allocated a record Rs 700 crore to improve the living conditions in the slum areas by building better roads and toilets, and by ensuring electricity and water supply.According to Sood, 2,500 homes built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, which were left unoccupied due to political reasons, are now being restored and made livable with a budget of Rs 43 crore.Referring to the Madarasi Camp case currently pending before the Delhi High Court, Sood said relocation was essential to prevent urban flooding, and of the 370 families, 215 have already been resettled in Narela. He also criticised the previous administration for “mishandling” the issue and failing to relocate people with dignity.On the power front, the minister claimed electricity supply has improved significantly in the capital. From February to May, the number of power cuts lasting over 30 minutes dropped to 1,946 – down from over 2,000 in previous years, he said.Sood also said that subsidies under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana have been increased from Rs 6,000 to Rs 30,000, making rooftop solar systems more affordable.Talking about law and order, the minister said that forensic investigation has been made mandatory in all serious cases, while mobile forensic labs are being introduced for quicker response. The government is also adding 100 new fire tenders for the high-density areas to improve emergency services, Sood said.Speaking on the controversy surrounding a fee hike in Delhi Public School (DPS), Sood accused AAP leaders of shielding ‘fee mafias’ and cited past protests by the parents.“The matter is in court, yet some people are trying to cover up these practices. But we will not let them succeed,” he said.“Guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision and inspired by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s principle of Antyodaya, our mission is to serve the last person (in the queue). And these 100 days are just the beginning,” Sood added.