The BJP on Sunday promised to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Himachal Pradesh and create massive job opportunities and five medical colleges in the State.
Releasing the party’s manifesto, BJP national president JP Nadda, along with Union Minister Anurag Thakur, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur Nadda, announced, “Waqf properties will be investigated as per law under a judicial commission and their illegal usages will be stopped.”
The BJP’s 11-point “Sankalp Patra” promised the creation of 8 lakh job opportunities amid criticism over unemployment and inflation by the Congres, the main Opposition in the State.
For girl students from Class 6 to Class 12, a bicycle will be given to each to go to school. In every district, two girls’ hostels would be set up.
Besides, the BJP manifesto said Himachal would be getting five new medical colleges if the BJP returns to power.
Nadda, who has been campaigning in his State extensively, appealed to the people to break the trend and elect the party again to power. “Riwaj todo, Raj nahin...,” he urged the voters of Himachal.
The BJP sought to emphasise women’s empowerment in its manifesto a day after the Congress announced 10 poll “guarantees”, assuring `1,500 a month to every woman and to implement the old pension scheme in the State.
Announcing the poll promises, Nadda said women’s empowerment remains a key focus for the party.
“Whatever was promised was delivered, whatever was not promised has also been delivered,” he said further.
The UCC implementation promise has been announced in Himachal as the Gujarat Government has also recently set up a panel to review the execution of the UCC in the poll-bound State.
Uttarakhand was the first BJP-ruled State to announce the implementation of the UCC.
The BJP manifesto announced 11 “commitments” which include “Him Startup” scheme where a fund of ?900 crore will be arranged to promote and encourage the new entrepreneurs of the State.
It also announced the creation of 8 lakh job opportunities and five new medical colleges in the State if the BJP return to power.
The BJP president, who had been a Central Health Minister, said, “In a bid to further strengthen primary health, the number of mobile clinics will be doubled in every Assembly constituency so that people in far-off areas can avail health benefits.”
Other promises in the BJP manifesto include all-weather roads connecting all villages with an investment of ?5,000 crore.
Under the programme “Shakti”, ?12,000 crore will be spent over 10 years duration to develop infrastructure and transportation around religious places and temples.
“They’ll be connected to the ‘Himteerth’ circuit’,” said the BJP president.
An additional amount of ?3,000 annually would be given under PM-Kisan Nidhi Yojana, and 10 lakh farmers would be added to the programme.
Discrepancies in the disbursal of salaries of Government workers would be removed.
The manifesto promised increased compensation to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
It said the Goods and Services Tax would be limited to 12 per cent for apple growers.
Himachal will go to polls on November 12 as the ruling party hopes to buck the trend of the hill State not repeating a party a second time.