Chhattisgarh Polls: BJP Targets Farmers, Women

Raipur: An yearly financial assistance of Rs 12,000 to married women and Rs 10,000 to farm workers, procurement of paddy at Rs 3,100 per quintal, and cooking gas cylinder at '500 are some of the key highlights of the BJP’s manifesto for Chhattisgarh, released on Friday. The manifesto also promised to take the people of Chhattisgarh on a visit to Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Releasing the BJP’s manifesto titled “Modi’s Guarantee for Chhattisgarh 2023”, Union home minister Amit Shah said, “An election manifesto is not just a manifesto for the BJP, but a ‘Sankalp Patra’ (document of resolution) for us”.

Briefing about the promises in the manifesto, Shah said, “If the BJP is voted to power in the state, ‘Krishi Unnati Scheme’ will be launched, under which 21 quintal per acre paddy will be procured (from farmers) at '3,100 per quintal.” The payment against paddy procurement will be done in one time, he added.

The party-led government will also launch ‘Mahtari Vandan Scheme’, under which married women will be given a financial assistance of '12,000 per year, he said, adding that Deendayal Upadhyay Krishi Majdoor Yojana will be launched, under which landless agricultural labourers will be given '10,000 per year.

Women from poor families will get cooking gas cylinders at '500 each, while students will be given monthly travel allowance for going to college through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), the Union minister said.

Shah claimed, “One lakh vacant government posts will be filled in two years if the BJP returns to power in the state. Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, funds will be sanctioned for the construction of 18 lakh houses, while every house will have tap water connection within two years under the ‘Ghar Ghar Nirmal Jal Abhiyan’, he said.

Elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly will be held in two phases - on November 7 and 17.