BJP Haryana Poll Manifesto Promises MSP for 24 Crops, Jobs for Agniveers
New Delhi/ Chandigarh: Facing anti-incumbency and a resurgent Congress, the BJP manifesto for the Haryana Assembly polls promises a monthly assistance of Rs/2,100 for women, two lakhs government jobs for the youth and guaranteed government jobs for Agniveers hailing from the state, among others. In a bid to woo the farmers in the state, the BJP’s poll document released on Thursday also promised to purchase 24 crops at minimum support price (MSP).
In power since 2014 in Haryana, the BJP is not just facing strong Opposition but also factionalism and anger among party leaders over ticket distribution. The polling scheduled for October 5 is expected to be a multi-corner contest, with most of the BJP’s opponents vying for the dominant Jat vote-bank. Haryana is a Jat-dominated state where the BJP gave the first non-Jat chief minister in 2014 when it formed its first ever government a decade ago.
On Thursday, BJP president J.P. Nadda released the party's "sankalp patra" in the presence of chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, Union ministers M.L. Khattar, Rao Inderjit Singh and Krishan Pal Gurjar at Rohtak.
Facing flak from the Opposition parties over Agnipath, which is for short-term military recruitment scheme, the BJP president said that there will be a guarantee of government jobs for every Agniveer hailing from Haryana.
Among 20 main points in the manifesto, the BJP promised Rs.2,100 per month for all women under the Lado Lakshmi Yojna.
The ruling party said two lakhs government jobs will be given to the youth without "kharchi-parchi", a reference to the alleged corruption prevailing earlier under the Congress regime.
The BJP also announced to give cooking gas cylinders at Rs.500 under the Har Ghar Grihni Yojna. Notably, the state government is already giving cooking gas cylinders at `500 under the Har Ghar Grihini scheme to BPL and antyodaya families in the state.
After releasing the manifesto in Rohtak, Mr Nadda said Haryana has marched on the path of progress during the BJP-led government.
"You will clearly see Haryana has changed and the difference is visible," he said, referring to corruption and scams that allegedly took place during previous regimes.
The BJP also promised 5-lakh houses in urban and rural areas if it is voted to power after the Assembly elections, besides a scooter for every college-going female student in a rural area under the Avwal Balika Yojna.
Scholarships for Haryana students belonging to the OBC and SC communities in any government medical and engineering colleges in the country will be given, the BJP manifesto stated.
Hitting out at the Congress, Mr Nadda accused the rival party of reducing poll manifestos to a diluted document. For them, the manifestos are mere formality, with which they deceive the public, he charged and added that Haryana under the Congress regime was known as the "land of scams".
"Their real manifesto was land scams, taking land at the rate of peanuts, snatching land of farmers and changing its land use," Mr Nadda said and asked the gathering whether the government had a corrupt image or not 10 years ago.
"We have talked of "non-stop Haryana", a state that is now marching on a path of progress under the BJP rule and the kharchi-parchi system prevalent under the Congress rule has ended.
Among the other promises made by the saffron party are starting new Vande Bharat trains and setting up the KMP Orbital Rail corridor with the assistance of the Centre. The party further promised the start of intercity express Metro service between Faridabad and Gurugram.
The BJP also promised to set up 10 industrial cities on the line of Industrial Model Township Kharkhoda and said industrialists will be given special incentives for giving 50,000 jobs to local youths in every city.
Under the Chirayu-Ayushman scheme, each family will be given free medical treatment of up to Rs.10 lakhs and an elderly person above 70 years of age in each family will be provided free medical treatment of up to `5 lakhs.
The poll document also promised employment opportunities for 5-lakh youths and a monthly stipend through the National Apprenticeship Promotion scheme.
According to the manifesto, the party will set up welfare boards for backward classes and a sufficient budget for their welfare. Sports nurseries will come up in every district for the Olympic Games, the manifesto stated. To promote tourism, the BJP has promised an Aravalli Jungle Safari of international level in south Haryana.
