Releasing its manifesto for the February 4 Punjab elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday promised to make farmers in the State debt-free by December 2018, create 25 lakh jobs for the unemployed youth, make Punjab drug-free within a month, among other things.
Declaring that all its promises would be party’s agreement with the people of Punjab, the party also announced Rs 5 lakh cashless medical treatment in private hospitals for all, free laptops for Class IX students of Government schools, power for industry below Rs 5 per unit, enhancing old age, widow and handicapped pension to Rs 2,500, holy city status to Sri Amritsar and Sri Anandpur Sahib.
Releasing the manifesto, AAP campaign committee chairman Bhagwant Mann and dialogue committee convener Kanwar Sandhu said that agriculture, trade, industry, health, education, welfare of SC, BC and employment generation are core issues on which AAP Government would focus.
As of now, the party has released six separate manifestos for the youth, farmers, handicapped, employees, Dalits and traders.
Mann said besides waiving farm debt, they will be paid compensation for crop damage at the rate of Rs 20,000 per acre. A compensation of Rs 10,000 would also be given to farm labourers if crop failed or damaged, he said adding that Sir Chhotu Ram Act of 1934 on farm debts would be implemented and those farmers, who had paid interest more than the loan amount, would be deemed as paid. The ahrtiyas would not be allowed to charge interest more than bank rates, he added.
The manifesto stated that drug mafia would be smashed with iron hand and all political or non-political players involved in the drug trade would be behind bars within one month.
The de-addiction process of addicted youth would be completed within six months. The youth would be given ample opportunities for rehabilitation in Government, industry, transport and mining sectors which would be opened for public participation, besides creation of 25 lakh job opportunities.
Mann said an SIT would be formed to probe all 95 cases of sacrilege and police firing on innocent Sikhs protesting against sacrilege at Behbal Kalan and guilty would be brought to book. An exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of crime would be ensured, he added.
Besides, welfare pension for old age people, widows and handicapped persons would be hiked from Rs 500 to Rs 2500 per month.
Ensuring trade and industry to boost the business, the AAP promised abolition of inspector raj besides introducing reforms in tax structure, and revival of sick industry in all industrial towns like Mandi Gobindgarh.
AAP also talked about waiving property tax on residential properties besides going halves on the power tariff up to 400 units for domestic consumers. Farmers would continue to get free power, the party clarified.
In education sector, the party announced to give laptops to all Government schoolchildren studying in Class IX. “Every primary school would have minimum five teachers, 29,000 vacancies of teachers would be filled soon and another about 30,000 new posts would be created,” stated the manifesto.
It promised to set up ‘Pind Clinic’ in every village and every urban area would have ‘Mohalla Clinics’ on Delhi pattern. Three medical colleges and degree colleges in unrepresented areas would be opened.
On the pattern of Amma Canteens in Tamil Nadu started by its former Chief Minister J Jayalalitha, the AAP will open ‘Aam Aadmi’ canteens at sub division and district level where one-time meal will be available for Rs 5 only.
The AAP has also decided to launch a health insurance scheme under which every resident of State would be eligible for cashless treatment of up to Rs 5 lakhs in private hospitals.
“Jan lok Pal and Human Right Commission would be given more teeth to provide corruption-free Government and also to maintain human rights of public,” said Sandhu.
He said that they have promised with the employees to implement sixth pay commission fully and revive the old pension scheme which was discontinued by previous Capt Amarinder Singh Government. All contract employees, direct or through outsourcing, would be regularized, and the women will get 33 percent reservation in government jobs, he added.