The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has promised higher transparency, better governance, improved women safety and empowerment, better education facilities, infrastructure development, higher income and better facilities to farmers, modernised health facilities and financial support to poor students, farmers and women in their Madhya Pradesh election manifesto released on Saturday. In, addition Gaushalas with modern amenities and promotion of Indian breed cows too have been promised. The BJP has also promised development and improvement of religious places along River Shipra and creating new heritage sites.
The manifesto, termed as "Vision Document" was released in Bhopal jointly by Union Finance Minister and senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with senior party leaders ahead of Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled for November 28.
Apart from the main Vision Document the part also released a separate manifesto for women in which BJP promised new employment avenues for them to increase their participation in the workforce. Ten new BPOs will be set up for rural women. In the education sector, girl students will be encouraged for higher education particularly in science and mathematics. More residential schools and colleges with modern amenities will be provided to encourage girls to study. The Chouhan-government also promised sanitary napkin vending machines and girls toilets in educational institutions.
The party has promised scooties to girls who get more than 75% in Class 12 Board examination, improved women security arrangements, and access to employment opportunities. The Vision Document has a special focus on curbing crime against women for which hotspots will be identified to keep a check on incidents of crime against women. The "Female Access to Justice Scheme" promises to make easy access to judiciary and police for women. Focusing on women health, the BJP has promised special drive to curb anaemia among women.
Women who fail to conceive through natural ways will be provided 100% financial assistance to go for In Vitro Fertilisation. Single mothers will be given assistance in the education of their children. New education and employment opportunities will be created for women and they will also be given concessions in buses, trains and other transport modes. To encourage women entrepreneurs and small-scale industry they will be provided interest-free loans and 2000 more milk cooperatives will be created to help them. Subsidies will be provided to women in the procurement of milching animals. Gas connections will also be given to them under Ujjawla Scheme.
In addition to women, there is a focus on farmers and youth in the BJP's Vision Document. The party has promised higher remuneration for agriculture products and financial support to farmers and landless labours.
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For transparency in governance, interviews will be scrapped for class 3 and 4 jobs and fill a vacant position in government jobs. The e-governance will be promoted through digitalisation and officers will be evaluated for their performance.
Better connectivity, promotion of innovation and start-ups, small-scale industries are among the schemes that the BJP wants to promote for employment and income generation. Tree plnttion, cleanliness drive, education and health sectors are some of the areas where new avenues for jobs will be created. Sportspersons will be encouraged and they will be covered through insurance against crippling injuries.
For heritage and culture promotion memorials for Rani Durgavati (in Jabalpur), Avanatibai (Ramgarh), Durgadas Rathore (Ujjain), Chandrashekhar Azad (Alirajpur) will be made. Similarly, a museum will be made to highlight the contribution of great Tribal leaders.
"The document, which encapsulates all the desires and expectations of the people of the state, was made after holding direct conversations with the people. The vision presents the roadmap for development on one hand and the welfare of every section of society on the other," Chief Minister Chouhan said.
He added stated that this was only a roadmap for the next five years of the party's governance in the state, adding that like they have done in the past, the state government will implement several other schemes during its next term as and when the need arises. The Chief Minister said that every resident of the state, including the poor and the downtrodden, has equal rights on the resources of the state.
"We are striving to address their (poor people's) basic needs. It is our goal to provide them with food, clothing and housing, education, electricity and medicine. The Sambal Yojana, which has been very beneficial in the last two-three months, will continue to take care of these needs," Chouhan said.
Speaking at the event, Jaitley elaborated upon the aspect of economic growth in MP and stated, "After Congress got defeated in 2003, it left a budget of only Rs 21,000 crore but today it has increased 10 folds under BJP regime. Every year, the economic growth rate of this state increases by approximately 2% to 2.5%, which is higher than the overall growth rate in India. The major credit goes to farmers as they are able to produce 20% more by using modern and efficient irrigation systems. Till 2003, nobody would have imagined that MP can also show tremendous development under BJP within a span of just 15 years.
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