The BJP, it seems, has poured the Congress’ wine in its own bottle. The manifesto released by the BJP for the February 4 elections on Sunday has more similarities than variations from the Congress’ poll document.
Both the parties are apparently aiming at filling up their vote coffers on account of the poor. Just as the Congress promised free studies for girls till PhD level, debt waiver for farmers, besides adding two items under the Atta-Dal scheme, among other things, the saffron party too included the same in its list of poll promises.
BJP’s manifesto, released by the Union Finance Minister and senior party leader Arun Jaitley, promised a slew of populist schemes — providing sugar and ghee at low prices, houses to all poor, five-eight marla plots to Dalits and backwards, besides assuring Rs five lakh assistance to the families affected by militancy.
Aimed at improving Punjab’s social infrastructure, the 16-page poll document, released in Punjab’s dalit hinterland, assured a house to every poor family besides promising a five-eight marla plot to Dalits and those
belonging to backward class, besides a house to every poor family till 2019.
The party also promised debt waiver for small farmers having two-and-half acres of land, besides assuring to facilitate them with digital credit cards.
“The State Government, with the help of the Centre, has made adequate investments in the physical infrastructure in Punjab, but investing in the social infrastructure is the need of the hour, something which the BJP manifesto has focused on,” said Jaitley.
BJP’s ally, SAD, which is yet to come out with its manifesto, had been promising a job to at least one member from each family — alike the Congress’ slogan of “har ghar ik naukri pakki”.
As the Congress promises to add sugar and tea under the ongoing Atta-Dal scheme, BJP assured that five kg sugar would be provided at the rate of `10 per kg and two kg ghee at `25 per kg to all he blue-card holders under the SAD-BJP’s well-known Atta-Dal scheme.
It has also announced `5 lakh financial assistance to the families which were affected by militancy in Punjab.
BJP promised to implement the seventh pay commission, raising retirement age to 60 years, opening of five new Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) in the state, a group housing for journalists, among other things.
BJP poll committee chairman Kamal Sharma said that to improve the economic condition of farmers, a Farmers’ Income Commission will be constituted in the State that would help farmers to increase their revenue sources.
It will provide an assistance of `10 lakh to the families of traders or farmers in the event of their sudden death, he said.