Jaipur: Ten days before voting in Rajasthan assembly elections, BJP released its manifesto on Thursday at Jaipur with special focus on all those sections and issues which BJP has made its agenda for elections.
These include a slew of welfare measures for farmers, women and youth and promise of strict action against alleged corruption, question paper leak and acts of religious appeasement by the Congress government in the state.
The party has avoided flashy populist announcements and tried to make only promises that the government can fulfill.
The manifesto was unveiled by BJP national president JP Nadda in Jaipur. He was accompanied by former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and senior leaders from the state unit.
Manifesto details
In the manifesto, the party has hinted at continuing some of the schemes of Gehlot government with some changes like subsidised LPG cylinder for Ujjwala beneficiaries and increased social security pensions.
but there is no promise of the revival of old pension scheme (OPS) for government employees.
Since BJP is talking about bringing a double engine government, central government schemes like doubling of Kisan Samman Nidhi and providing free ration to poor families for five years are also part of the manifesto.
In this 75-page manifesto of the party, an attempt has been made to please all sections of the society and give something to everyone. Along with various sections of the society, announcements have also been made for special focus areas of Rajasthan like folk culture and tourism, textile and leather industries and small scale industries.
Addressing reporters, Nadda said, " BJP wants to form a double-engine government in Rajasthan and the manifesto would serve as the “roadmap of decelopment”.
Highlights of the BJP manifesto:
- The BJP has pledged to purchase wheat from farmers at an MSP of Rs 2700 per quintal, which is significantly higher than the current MSP of Rs 2015 per quintal.
- Party has promised to work out a comprehensive compensation plan for farmers whose land has been acquired for various projects. This issue has been a major source of discontent among farmers in Rajasthan.
- As the crime against women is a major election issue in Rajasthan, the BJP has promised to establish Anti-Romeo Squads and Mahila Thana in every district of the state.
- The BJP has announced for a savings bond of ₹2 lakh for girls. It will be given to every household where a daughter is born. This bond will mature when the daughter reaches the age of 18 years.
- Party has promised a Free Scooty Scheme for meritorious students pursuing higher education.
- Rajasthan is known for its tourism destinations and looking at this BJP has committed to establishing a ₹2,000 crore corpus fund to promote tourism, aiming to generate employment opportunities for 5 lakh youth in the state.
- Corruption is another major issue on which BJP is banking on and the party has promised a Special Investigation Team for probe paper leaks and other alleged scams in the Congress government.
-The manifesto also promises completion of the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) in a time-bound manner in collaboration with the Centre.
This is an issue on which Congress is attacking BJP for not giving it a national project status.
- For the youth, the party announced 2.5 lakh government jobs in five years, annual assistance of ₹12,00 for students of poor families to purchase school bags, books and uniforms and setting up of Rajasthan Institute of Technology and Rajasthan Institute of Medical Sciences in every division.
- In the health sector, the party pledged an investment of ₹40,000 crore through the Bhamashah Health Infrastructure Mission and appointment of 15,000 doctors and 20,000 paramedical staff.
- Expansion of Jaipur Metro, transparent transfer policy, free ration to poor families under PM Garib Kalyan Yojna for five years, increase in old age pension and pension of ₹1500 per month for the disabled have also been promised.
- A special police cell for investigating sleeper cells of anti-national forces and an anti-gangster task force to stop gang wars was also among the promises made.
- The party has made promises for minority welfare and made spesfic announcements for Jain's and Sikhs but not for Muslims and Christians.
- For OBC welfare, the party promised the distribution of OBC certificates in a time-bound manner, collateral-free education loans up to ₹15 lakh and a welfare board to redress problems.
Various other announcements for tribal welfare, street hawkers and gig workers, auto drivers, SC and ST welfare, were also made.
JP Nadda (centre) Vasundhara Raje (right) | FPJ