Releasing the joint manifesto for February 20 elections, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) combine on Tuesday promised zero bill solar power; Rs 10 lakh student card with interest free loan for study anywhere in the world; Rs 10 lakh free health insurance to all; Rs 2,000 monthly for all women heads of poor families; contributory pension scheme for small, marginal, semi-medium and medium farmers; among many other things.
The manifesto, titled ‘Gall Raj Di Nahi, Gall Punjab Di’, also promised two Deputy Chief Ministers — one each among Hindus and Dalits. The alliance has already declared SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal as its chief ministerial candidate. Apart from two deputy chief ministers, the combine also promised to set up two new ministries.
Calling itself the originator of Atta-Dal scheme, the combine promised to provide free “potato” and ‘gur’ under the populist scheme.
Released by Sukhbir Badal and BSP’s Punjab affairs in-charge Randhir Singh Beniwal, the manifesto promised one lakh government jobs besides 10 lakh jobs in private sector; 400 units free power to every household – including general category – per month; minimum support price (MSP) on fruits, vegetables and milk; crop insurance scheme of Rs 50,000 per acre; 50 percent reservation for women in all government jobs, 75 percent job reservation for Punjabi youth in both Government and private sector, regularisation of all contractual and outsourced employees including safai karamcharis and revival of pension scheme for government employees which was stopped in 2004.
The alliance has also promised diesel for agriculture at a price of Rs 10 per litre cheaper than others.
At the same time, Sukhbir declared that old age pension will be increased from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,100 per month, Shagun Scheme amount from Rs 51,000 to Rs 75,000, honorarium of ASHA workers from Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000 per month and mid day meal workers will get double the existing honorarium. Families of martyr soldiers will be given assistance of Rs 1crore and Government job to one dependent, he added.
The combine’s manifesto also promised electricity at Rs five per unit for micro, small, and medium enterprises. It also promised to focus on shift to solar power, especially in large scale industry, by waiving off transmission charges in the state.
The SAD-BSP Government would focus on solar power revolution to ensure zero power bill; waiving outstanding dues of residential bills of blue card holders; and restoration of all disconnected household connection. A promise to provide five lakh pucca houses to those with kutcha houses and five marla plots to the homeless was also made in the manifesto.
The manifesto also promises Rs five lakh interest-free loan every youth, especially women to start their own enterprise.
“We will completely transform the lives of the people of our state in every sphere. We have prepared a practical road for revolutionising agriculture by a state-sponsored shift to the commercial exploitation of our farmers’ potential. We will introduce path breaking initiatives such as a network of units for converting maize to ethanol. The manifesto also promises to encourage and promote the highly lucrative water-based farming in the state which requires no fertilisers, insecticides or pesticides, saves 90 percent irrigation water requires no expensive machinery like tractors and has no praali (stubble) left overs,” said Sukhbir.
To open up professional avenues, the manifesto promises a series of measures including starting Flying Academies to train pilots, flight engineers and cabin crew on cost to cost basis to save youth from prohibitive training fees running into multiple lakhs.
It promised to regularize the sale of liquor and sand through corporations, opening up opportunities for the deserving unemployed educated youth.
Major promises
· One lakh govt jobs
· 75% jobs to be reserved for Punjabi youth in public , private and PPP sectors
· Free power for ever to farmers through a govt funded shift to Solar Energy
· Network of food processing, packaging, grading centres and cold chains, with guaranteed financial assistance
· Rs 2000 to every woman head of Blue Card families
· Rs 15 lakh Student Card for all girl students--interest free long term loan for studies at places of their choice
· 50 percent reservation for women in govt jobs
· Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia grant to Covid victim widows.
· Shagun Scheme amount to be raised to Rs 75,000
· Free Potato and ‘Gurh’ with Atta-Dal scheme
· Five lakh Pucca houses for SC/BC ; five marla plots free of cost to homeless poor in villages
· Old pension to be raised to Rs 4100
· Multi Purpose Senior Citizens Homes as well as Day Care Homes to be set up
· Rs 10 lakhs Student Card for every student to pursue studies at places of their choice anywhere
· Bhagwan Valmiki Ji University in Doaba; Dr BR Ambedkar Ji Medical/Technical Education University in Doaba; Guru Ravidas ji University for studies in comparative religions; Manyavar Kanshi Ram Medical University; Digital University
· Setting up Online University, providing one GB free internet data per day to every student; video, among other things