LS POLLS-2024 | BJP manifesto vows to create more jobs, big push to infra projects to spur growth

New Delhi, Apr 14:  The BJP’s election manifesto released on Sunday promises to create more jobs, give a bigger push to infrastructure to spur economic growth and expand welfare programmes for the poor.

While the 10-year term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in power has seen strong economic growth with big investments in infrastructure projects such as highways and ports, he said that this was “merely the trailer” and bigger development projects were to come ahead.

"Our focus is on dignity of life ... on quality of life, our focus is also on creating jobs through investment," PM Modi said after releasing the manifesto, titled ‘Modi's Guarantee’, at the party headquarters in the capital.

PM Modi said the manifesto is focused on creating jobs in sectors such as infrastructure, aviation, railways, electric vehicles, green energy, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.

“India's youth will not have even imagined the number of opportunities that will come their way," he said while releasing the manifesto.

PM Modi also promised to expand welfare programmes, including bringing all Indians above the age of 70 under the Ayushman free health insurance programme and pushing piped cooking gas connections to all houses to follow up on a subsidised cooking gas cylinder programme launched in 2016.

Other BJP promises include raising the cap on loans for non-farming small and micro borrowers, offering free housing for another 30 million poor and continuing the free foodgrains scheme for 80 crore poor people for another five years.

The manifesto also states that the BJP government would continue to focus on a path of low inflation and fiscal prudence to achieve high economic growth and ensure a developed India.

PM Modi also slammed the Congress, saying while their leaders were talking of Garibi Hatao now, they had done nothing to remove poverty in the country during the 50 years of their rule.

The BJP manifesto also promises to empower the emerging neo-middle class in the country by supporting them with affordable quality housing and healthcare, greater access to quality education, and more employment opportunities.

The manifesto states that the RERA Act will be strengthened as it has helped make the real estate sector in the country more transparent and citizen-friendly.

It also promises to create high-value jobs by expanding India's top-tier startup ecosystem to tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

It provides for promoting quality higher education by introducing more IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, and other such institutes and the launching of internship programs to blend academic and practical skills.

The manifesto promises to ensure quality healthcare services by expanding the AIIMS and Ayushman Arogya Mandir network to give better access to the middle class.

It also states that there would be a greater focus on the modern road network, enhanced rail and metro connectivity with new-age trains and expanded networks, development of comprehensive EV charging stations, construction of new airports, and the advanced telecom infrastructure with 5G and 6G technology.

Besides, more green spaces like parks and playgrounds would be developed, water bodies like lakes and ponds would be revived, and other natural spaces would be developed to make cities more adaptable, sustainable, and people-friendly, the manifesto adds.

The BJP manifesto places a major emphasis on the empowerment of women with the creation of more jobs for them in the IT, health and education sectors and sets a target of creating another 3 crore Lakhpati Didis in rural areas.

Highlighting the success of the Modi government’s scheme that has empowered one crore rural women to become Lakhpati Didis, the manifesto promises that another three crore rural women would become Lakhpati Didis if the BJP is voted to power for a third term.

The manifesto promises to empower women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) with skills and tools in key service sectors like IT, healthcare, education, retail and tourism to increase their income and integrate women SHGs with ongoing initiatives such as One District One Product (ODOP), Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Ekta Mall, ONDC, GEM, One Station One Product, enhancing better market access for their products.

The manifesto also promises to ensure the development of infrastructure such as working women’s hostels, and creches with a specific focus on locations near industrial and commercial centres to facilitate increased participation of women in the workforce.

It also assures that the government would expand the existing health services focused on the prevention and reduction of anaemia, breast cancer, cervical cancer and osteoporosis to ensure a healthy life for women. A focused initiative would be launched to eliminate cervical cancer, the manifesto states.

The manifesto also points out that the Modi-led government has already enacted the long-awaited Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.

“We will systematically implement this to ensure representation for women in the Parliament and state legislatures,” the manifesto said.

The BJP manifesto promises to increase the incomes of fishermen's families with the introduction of schemes to increase fish production and wider insurance coverage.

It states that the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana would be extended to increase fish production and increase annual seafood exports.

The manifesto also promises to expand the insurance coverage available under PM Matsya Sampada Yojana to ensure speedy and more accurate assessment, faster payouts, and quicker grievance resolution.

Besides it gives the assurance of launching a special program utilising satellite imagery for rendering integrated service for the fishermen's community, ensuring both their safety and security. Other promises to fishermen include developing production and processing clusters for fishermen; boosting seaweed cultivation under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana to increase the income of fishermen; creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for fishermen through the promotion of pearl farming; increasing production and productivity in the fisheries sector through the establishment of a network of Nucleus Breeding Centres and Brood Banks; to make use of a series of technological interventions for farm biosecurity, management of diseases in aquatic animals, feed, and growth monitoring.

The BJP’s election manifesto also promises to promote Tamil language globally.

The manifesto promises to set up Thiruvalluvar Cultural centres across the world for the global elevation of the Tamil language and culture.

The Prime Minister, while releasing the Sankalp Patra, said: "Thiruvallluvar Cultural centres will be built across the world and BJP will undertake every effort to enhance the reputation of Tamil, the world’s oldest language.”

Thiruvalluvar or Valluvar was a Tamil poet and is a cultural icon of Tamil Nadu. Prime Minister is trying to connect with Tamil society by evoking the memories of Tamil cultural icons.

Narendra Modi has visited Tamil Nadu seven times in the last two months and has been vociferously promoting Tamil culture, language and icons.

Modi was in Rameswaram temple, Tiruchi Srirangam temple and Dhanushkodi before he attended the Ram temple consecration function at Ayodhya.

Prime Minister Modi had also installed the ‘Chengol’ in the newly constructed Parliament building and had evoked the memories of the Chola kingdom.

Narendra Modi had also spoken in Tamil at the United Nations and had also communicated to the people of Tamil Nadu that speaking in Tamil at the UN in 2019 was one the happiest moments of his life.

The BJP is trying hard to win a few seats from Tamil Nadu and the Prime Minister has also been trying to promote Tamil language and culture.