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Cheaper power, lower inflation and free medicines for life were a few of the promises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made in its manifesto for the Delhi Assembly elections, released here on Tuesday.
The party said its priority was to ensure Delhi got all powers back from the Centre. Currently, subjects such as law and order, and urban development in the capital are controlled by the central government. Making good the BJP’s promise in this regard will need the nod of the Centre. This is because a constitutional amendment will be required, and this can only be initiated by the Centre.
“The division of responsibilities under the current system, among the municipal corporation and village bodies, state governments and the central government is without any sound rationale and, therefore, impractical and ineffective,” the manifesto says.
The manifesto also talks of reining in corruption, promoting the use of solar power, substituting traditional methods of administration with e-governance, expanding the Delhi Metro within and outside Delhi, and developing a mono rail system in the capital.
The BJP’s campaign here has been dominated by the issue of price rise. The manifesto promises the prices of onions, tomatoes and vegetables will be brought under control within 30 days of the party coming to power, though it is silent on how this will be done. The manifesto says the party will work for reforming the public distribution system and modelling it on the pattern in Chhattisgarh. It will also increase the number of subsidised gas cylinders from nine to 12 a family a year, it adds.
To fight corruption, the party said it will stress on e-governance. All tenders will be made available online, and the process of awarding big tenders will be video-recorded. An accountability commission will be established for the efficient use of public money. But unlike the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party, the party has not recommended bringing a new Lok Pal Bill. Instead, it suggests the institution of Lok Ayukta will be made effective by assigning “sufficient powers”. To reduce crime and improve law and order, the party said it would establish a “speedy justice commission” to suggest measures for ensuring justice without delay. Evening courts will be opened and courts and tribunals in one district will be brought under a single campus.
In spite of reservations within the party, the manifesto mentions reducing power rates by 30 per cent. However, no timeframe has been given for this. The party proposes to cut electricity expenditure by promoting competition among power distribution companies and bringing those under the ambit of the Right to Information Act and the Comptroller and Auditor General.
An ambitious step mentioned in the manifesto is implementing the ‘essential drug policy’, through which 25 essential drugs will be made available free of cost to all residents of the capital, lifelong.
