The Aam Aadmi Party’s Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government on Tuesday signed a “Knowledge Sharing Agreement” (KSA) with the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government in Punjab “to enable them to cooperate for the public welfare”.

As per the agreement signed by the two chief ministers, the KSA will enable the Delhi and Punjab governments to share knowledge, experience, and skills for the mutual welfare of the people of their respective territories.

“The KSA enables the two Governments to send and receive officials, ministers, and other personnel to learn and share their knowledge, experience, and skills for public welfare. The agreement is not legally enforceable,” it said.

Describing the KSA as historic, Punjab CM said both the states will implement the best practices in each state. He said Delhi’s hospitals and schools are better than even those in the private sector.

Mann said the Delhi government has shown the day. “Delhi has over 1000 schools and 18 lakh children study there. Punjab government has over 19,100 schools but only 23 lakh students study there,” he added.

Expressing surprise at the criticism of the agreement by the Opposition parties, Mann said it is being said that now Punjab will be run by Delhi, but this was not the case as Punjab will be run by the Punjab government elected by the people with a huge mandate.

“I will even go to Italy in order to bring a good thing for Punjab,” he added.

On criticism of the agreement by the Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, the CM said similar agreements were signed during the tenure of the Akali government with China, Israel, and even a state in Canada, does that mean that those countries were running Punjab.

At Congress, Mann said during the previous government foreign guests were appointing chief secretaries and the police chief.

On Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu’s criticism of the power shortage in Punjab, the CM said his government will soon bring legislation to the Assembly to terminate the power purchase agreements.

He said Sidhu himself ran from the responsibility by refusing the portfolio of power minister in the Amarinder Singh government.

Besides good schools, hospitals, and zero power bills, Mann promised to set the agriculture and industry sectors right and also bring an end to unemployment in the coming days.

“Our intention is very clear. We will go wherever required in order to learn good things. We will implement it in Punjab and are not going anywhere just for a tour,” Mann added.