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BJP Manifesto: The Key Takeaways

Snapshot of the BJP’s ‘sankalp patra’ for elections 2019.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses after releasing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) manifesto (Sankalp Patra) for Lok Sabha elections 2019, in New Delhi. Photo: PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses after releasing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) manifesto (Sankalp Patra) for Lok Sabha elections 2019, in New Delhi. Photo: PTI

Eyeing to retain power in the elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party pledged to boost infrastructure and enhance farm productivity.

The BJP, which released its manifesto today, reiterated its commitment to build the Ram temple in Ayodhya and its pledge to double farmers’ income in three years. The vision document promised to extend PM KISAN to all farmers across the country and introduce a pension scheme for shopkeepers, besides the return of Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu and Kashmir.

The document, however, was short on detail outlining the party’s plan to tackle rising unemployment.

Here’s a snapshot of the key highlights from the BJP’s manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections:

BJP MANIFESTO: THE BIG OUTLAYS

  • Will invest Rs 100 lakh crore in the infrastructure sector by 2024.
  • Committed to make an investment of Rs 25 lakh crore to improve the productivity of the farm sector.
  • Will provide short-term new agriculture loans up to Rs 1 lakh at nil interest rate for one to five years.
  • Will further expand the coverage of the PM KISAN scheme to all farmers across the country.
  • Will launch a pension scheme for all small and marginal farmers in the country.
  • Will expand the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan scheme to cover all small shopkeepers.
  • To launch ‘Jal Jivan Mission’ to ensure piped water for every household by 2024.

BJP MANIFESTO: ‘IDENTITY ISSUES’

  • Will implement the National Register of Citizen in a phased manner.
  • Reiterate our position since the time of the Jan Sangh to the abrogation of Article 370.
  • Committed to annulling Article 35A of the Constitution of India as the provision is discriminatory against non-permanent residents and women of Jammu and Kashmir.
  • Will make all efforts to ensure the safe return of Kashmiri Pandits to their ancestral land.
  • Reiterates its stand to draft a uniform civil code, drawing upon the best traditions and harmonising them with the modern times.
  • Will explore all possibilities within the framework of the Constitution and all necessary efforts to facilitate the expeditious construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
  • Will undertake every effort to ensure that the subject of faith, tradition and worship rituals related to Sabarimala are presented in a comprehensive manner before the Supreme Court.

BJP MANIFESTO: APPEAL TO URBAN VOTERS

  • Will launch a new scheme to provide collateral-free credit up to Rs 50 lakh for entrepreneurs.
  • Committed to further revise the tax slabs and the tax benefits to ensure more cash and greater purchasing power for middle-income families.

BJP MANIFESTO: ELECTION ‘REFORM’

  • Committed to the idea of simultaneous elections for Parliament, state assemblies and local bodies to reduce expenditure, ensure efficient utilisation of government resources and security forces and for effective policy planning.
  • Committed to 33percent reservation in Parliament and state assemblies through a constitutional amendment.

BloombergQuint spoke to BJP spokesperson Narendra Taneja, Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha, journalist and author Rasheed Kidwai and political analyst Amitabh Tiwari to discuss the hits and misses of the manifesto.

Watch the entire discussion here: