Day Ahead Of Voting In Gujarat, BJP Releases Manifesto
The BJP manifesto includes a resolve to “double” farmers’ income.
A day before the first phase of polling in Gujarat, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party today released its election manifesto with a slew of promises for various sections of society, which included a resolve to “double” farmers’ income.
Releasing the manifesto, BJP’s election in-charge for Gujarat, Arun Jaitley, said it was prepared keeping in mind the party’s resolution to maintain and improve on the 10 percent growth clocked by the state under the party’s rule.
Unlike the 2012 manifesto, the BJP has chosen not to make any extravagant promises, as the present poll document largely revolves around “overall development” and “resolutions” instead of getting into details.
In 2012, the Gujarat BJP, led by then chief minister Narendra Modi, had promised to construct 50 lakh houses in the next five years, which was the key highlight of the manifesto.
The manifesto released today said it has resolved to “double farmers’ income through various means, such as cheap fertilisers and seeds, better irrigation, proper Minimum Support Prices and (access to) food processing”.
For women, the party promised to increase the pension for widows at regular intervals.
A BJP government would give priority to quality education and build “international-level universities”, it said.
On the health front, the ruling party said its government will open more generic medicine shops and introduce mobile clinics and laboratories, apart from making Gujarat free of vector-borne diseases.
Without specifying a timeframe or giving numbers, the party manifesto said that to convert villages into “smart villages”, “pucca houses for poor families” would be constructed. It also promised to construct toilets in every house in rural Gujarat.
For urban centres, the BJP promised timely implementation of Smart City projects and construction of multi-level parking lots.
It also promised to set up district-level “Tribal Welfare Boards” and an “Adivasi University”.
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Other promises included new tourism circuits, development of ports, affordable healthcare for poor workers from the unorganised sector, new hostels for Scheduled Caste students and doubling of grant given to the Thakor and Koli Development Board.
Polling for 89 seats of Saurashtra and south Gujarat will be held tomorrow while that for 93 seats of north and central Gujarat would be held on December 14. Campaigning for the first phase ended yesterday.
Here are the key highlights from the manifesto.
Sankalp Patra
- Four pillar of Governance – Transparency, Sensitive, Decisive, Progressive
- Successful in creating a Gujarat which is peaceful, safe, progressive and with the highest human rights record.
- Gujarat model has become an example of the betterment of poor and inclusive growth.
- BJP proposes to create a New Gujarat which is free of poverty, casteism, communalism and dynasticism
Agri Proposals
- Continue with the current policies for improving farm income
- To continue with Cooperative milk societies and animal welfare
- Effective implementation of law against cow slaughter
Youth Proposals
- To open up more industrial cluster to increase Employment
- To encourage start-ups through skill development and Economic support
- Labour & remuneration policies to reflect current needs
- Along with govt policies to have results oriented employment policies
- To establish Gujarat Olympic Mission
- To create modern sports facilities and provide economic support for sports persons
- To encourage traditional sports
For Women
- To set up a fund for women empowerment schemes
- Free higher education for women
- Healthcare facilities for women
- New women oriented policies
- To increase widow pension from time to time
Education Policy
- To expand policies for welfare of girl child and schooling
- To expand foundational education
- To include new technological innovations in educations
- More importance to vocational education
- To better implement fee control in Private schools
- To create world class universities in the state
Healthcare
- To provide better facilities for treatment of grave illnesses in district hospitals
- To increase availability of generic and affordable medicines
- To set up Mobile clinics and 252 government diagnostic laboratories
- To free Gujarat of vector born diseases by 2022
Village Development
- Cement houses for poor families
- All houses to have plumbing and toilet facilities
- To bring in waste disposal units
- Better transportation and connectivity for rural areas
Urban Development
- Timely implementation of smart city projects
- Effective and smart traffic management systems
- Surat and Vadodhara to have metro train services
- Pipe gas connections in all houses
- AC- Bus services in major cities
- Playground facilities for children in all sectors
- Multi-level parking facilities
- Control on unlawful occupation of land
Industrial Policies
- Policy based industrial growth
- Encouragement to Employment oriented industries
- Regulated policy for industries
- New policy for Semi-conductor and Telecommunications industries
- Government to collaborate with GIDC for global competitive industrial policies
- Better interest rates for SME lending
- To create help centres for entrepreneurs
- To ease licensing policy for Small traders via online
- Accounting services to be provided at affordable rates
- Considerable improvement in policies for co-operative societies
- Revival of closed co-operative units
Tribal Welfare
- Effective implementation of tribal protection laws
- To create Tribal Development Board at district level
- To create registered Tribal committees
- To provide irrigation facilities in 4 lakh hectares of land in North-east tribal areas
- Special policies for Agariya communities
- Better implementation of PESA Act
- To provide land owner ship for all Tribals
- To set-up International levels tribal universities
OBC Welfare
- To provide economic support for those in generational family businesses
- To double the grant for Thakore and Koli development corporation
- Expansion of Self-employement schemes
SC and ST Welfare
- To create a committee for their betterment
- Easing of processes for obtaining caste certificate and BPL card
- Cement houses for everybody
- Better opportunity for education, healthcare and employment
- Creation of hawking zones for hawkers
Dalit Welfare
- Effective protection of Dalits
- Economic support through Dr BhimRao Ambedkar Education fund
- Increase in schools
- Financial support for Dalit workers
Poor Labourers and Workers
- 100% coverage under Suraksha Bhima Yojana
- Cement Houses for all
- Affordable healthcare
- Affordable food policies to be expanded in cities
Financially Backward Communities
- To fund secondary and high education of students
- Financial security through Jan Dhan and PM Suraksha Bima Yojana
- New policies for holistic development of poor
- Better opportunities for employment
Ports
- Develop ports and better marine traffic routes
- To expand RORO ferry services
- To provide financial support to communities dependent on sea
- To give financial support for Modern equipment
- To create Marine product laboratory for improvement of manufacturing
Transparent and Better Governance
- Administrative public outreach programme
- Karm-yogi Abhiyaan for Government employees
- Online services for registration and tax payment
- Forceful implementation of Anti-liquor policies
Tourism
- To create Sardar Patel Statue at Karmsad
- New tourism circuits
- To create yoga and medication centre in Saurashtra in association with Somnath University
- To promote Handicraft festivals
- To create memorials for great Gujarati personalities
- Better facilities for Pilgrims
Cultural Policies
- To promote language, literature and dance forms
- To promote ras-garba and traditional art forms
- To encourage music along with literature and language
- To create and expand Art festivals
- To reserve position in Girnar authority Board for saints
- To support for religious festivals like Maha Shivratri & Lili Parikarma
Senior Citizens
- Timely increase in old-age pension
- To provide government services at home
- Expand the Shravan tirth policy
For NRI Gujarati
- Gujarat tour services for NRIs
- To immediately resolve issues of NRIs
- To promote Gujarati cultural activities outside India