The document pledges to improve and augment work done in last 10 years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced to launch the “final assault against poverty and intensify his battle against corruption” if the BJP wins the upcoming general elections.
On Sunday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its election manifesto for the upcoming general elections, the first phase of which is on Friday. The 76 pages ‘Sankalp Patra (Commitment Document) named ‘Modi ki guarantee’ was released by PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP president J P Nadda.
As was expected, the exhaustive document has promised to improve and augment work done by the BJP in the last ten years apart from introducing new promises and reviving the old ones.
Among the big promises that the BJP has given in its election documents that carries a letter by Modi which he has concluded while signing off as ‘Pradhan Sevak’, includes the implementation of the contentious Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and the system of simultaneous elections under ‘One Nation, One Election’ that has been termed as a much needed electoral reform.
While laying out the idea that went on to prepare the manifesto, Modi, in his letter, wrote:“In the next five years, we will take our nation into the top 3 economies of the world, launch a final and decisive assault against poverty, open up newer avenues of growth in various sectors, further intensify our battle against corruption, unveil the next generation of reforms, and take a number of pro-people decisions and actions.”
Singh, who is chairperson of the manifesto committee, stated that over 15 lakh suggestions that were received were used to prepare the manifesto.
The BJP, which has been giving free ration to nearly 80 crore of the 142 crore population of India since 2020 under PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, announced that it will continue to do the same for next five years. The manifesto has promised free health treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh to poor families under Ayushman Bharat while adding that the scheme will be expanded to include senior citizens irrespective of their economic status.
The document promises to provide free electricity to poor households under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana that was launched earlier this year.
Terming the “middle-class parivar jan” as the backbone of India’s economy, the BJP has promised support for affordable quality housing and healthcare, access to quality education and ample employment opportunities. It has also said that it will strengthen the RERA act to make the real estate sector in India more transparent and citizen friendly than ever before while working with the state governments to facilitate home ownership for middle-class parivar jan through comprehensive measures including cost reduction in construction and registration, regulatory reforms like enabling automatic approvals for standard housing designs, among others.
With regards to the education sector, the BJP has promised to elevate the quality of education by expanding top educational institutions and upgrading universities to global standards and introduce more IITs, IIMs, AIIMS and other such institutes.
It has also dedicated a separate section to elaborate on what it intends to do for women voters, young citizens, senior citizens, famers, fisherman, blue collar workers, street hawkers and commercial automobile drivers.
The manifesto has promised to ‘ foster a vibrant, resilient, and innovative environment for MSMEs, Small Traders, and Vishwakarma families’ for sustainable economic growth and inclusive development across the nation. The steps that will be taken to achieve this includes simplifying the GST portal , launching of affordable insurance products, simplifying compliance laws and taking steps to develop India as a global hub for toys manufacturing.
Similarly, the manifesto has dealt is details on promises that the BJP intends to fulfil for those belonging to the tribal community, backward and reserved communities, divyangs (handicapped) and transgenders while highlighting that 60% of the ministers in the union cabinet are from the OBC, SC and the ST community. Modi has also promised that efforts will be made for India getting a permanent seat at the United Nation Security Council, which if happens, will truly put India in the league of the few global superpower.
In its efforts to make inroads in Tamil Nadu, the manifesto has promised to set up Thiruvalluvar cultural centres all over the world. Thiruvalluvar is one of Tamil culture’s most notable literary figures whose most significant work is Thirukkural.
The document promises continuing of a Zero-Tolerance policy towards terrorism, establishing of military theatre commands for more efficient operations, accelerating development of robust infrastructure along the Indo-China, Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Myanmar borders and introduction of technological solutions on fenced portions to make fencing smarter.
Modi has promised the launch of a National Forensics Mission to strengthen the forensic infrastructure.
The document has further detailed on how the BJP has in the past, and will in the future, if it comes to power, help India emerge as an economic super-power and a global manufacturing hub while turning India into a ‘major product nation’.
Modi has further promised to launch a ‘super-app’ to provide all train related services at one place, launching of High Frequency Trains for regional connectivity on the lines of Delhi-Meerut, increase passenger carrying capacity by 2030 to significantly reduce the waiting list and initiating feasibility studies for Bullet Train Corridors in North, South and East India apart from bringing various reforms related to road and aviation infrastructure.
The PM has promised to achieve energy independence by 2047 and reduce petroleum imports through a mix of electric mobility, network of charging stations, renewable energy production and improving energy efficiency.
It has further promised to establish the “Bharatiya Sanskriti Kosh” to ensure the preservation and protection of ancient Bharatiya civilization, classical languages, culture, and traditions through the extensive use of technology and organising a Triennial International Conclave on Bharatiya Knowledge Tradition and promote select destinations across Bharat as preferred venues to showcase the richness of Bharatiya weddings, highlighting the vibrant traditions, and supporting cultural exchanges.
The BJP’s 2014 manifesto was released on 7 April, the day when the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls began. In 2019, its manifesto was released on 8 April, three days before the first phase seats went to polling on 11 April.
