Promises in the BJP manifesto were announced under the Anna, Abhaya, Akshara, Arogya, Abhivruddhi and Aadaaya categories.
Published May 01, 2023 | 2:13 PM ⚊ Updated May 01, 2023 | 2:13 PM
Senior BJP leaders releasing the party manifesto ahead of May 10 polls in Bengaluru. (Supplied)
Implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), state capital region status for Bengaluru, aggressive promotion of electric vehicles, free cooking gas cylinders, Nandini milk, and rice for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families in Karnataka were among the promises the BJP made in its election manifesto released on Monday, 1 May.
Releasing the manifesto in the presence of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and senior leader BS Yediyurappa, BJP’s national president JP Nadda said: “The Constitution allows us to move in the direction of the Uniform Civil Code.”
“Justice to all, appeasement to none is our policy,” he added.
The Praja Pranalike, the manifesto for the 10 May Assembly polls, listed 16 top promises among others that the BJP would implement if voted back to power.
The promises were announced under Anna (food security), Abhaya (law and order enforcement), Akshara (education), Arogya (health), Abhivruddhi (development), and the Aadaaya (income) categories.
The BJP promised to launch the Sarvarigu Suru Yojane under which the Revenue Department would identify and distribute 10 lakh housing sites across the state for the landless and homeless people.
The party also vowed to provide three free cooking gas cylinders to all BPL families annually: One each during the months of Ugadi, Ganesha Chaturthi, and Deepavali.
The BJP would also set up Atal Ahaara Kendra in every ward of the municipal corporation in the state to provide affordable, quality, and healthy food.
The manifesto promised to launch the Poshane (nutrition) scheme through which every BPL household would be provided half-litre Nandini milk daily and five kilograms of rice through monthly ration kits.
It promised to launch Onake Obavva Samajika Nyaya Nidhi, a scheme through which the government would provide a matching deposit of up to ₹10,000 on five-year fixed deposits made by women of Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) households.
The manifesto also promised to improve the “ease of living” of apartment dwellers in Bengaluru by constituting the Karnataka Residents’ Welfare Consultative Committee to reform the Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, 1972, and to modernise the grievance redressal mechanism.
The BJP also promised to introduce the Visvesvaraya Vidya Yojane under which the government would partner with eminent individuals and institutions for upgrading government schools.
Other promises in the BJP’s manifesto included the launch of a Samanvaya Yojane. The programme would drive collaboration between SMEs and ITIs; besides providing career support with financial incentives for students to pursue coaching for IAS/KAS/banking and other government jobs.
Strengthening the public healthcare infrastructure through Mission Swasthya Karnataka with Namma clinics equipped with diagnostic facilities at every ward along with free annual master health check-ups for senior citizens were among the promises.
Under the Abhivruddhi scheme, the BJP promised to develop Bengaluru by designating it as the state capital region — along the lines of the national capital region.
The government would execute a comprehensive technology-led city development programme centred around ease of life, cohesive transportation networks, and enabling ecosystems for making Bengaluru a global hub of digital innovation.
The manifesto also promised to transform Karnataka into a premier hub for electric vehicles by setting up charging stations, supporting 1,000 start-ups, converting BMTC buses into fully electric buses, and creating an “EV City” on the outskirts of Bengaluru.
For the farmers, the manifesto promised a ₹30,000 crore K-Agri Fund to establish micro-cold storage facilities, agro-processing units in all gram panchayats, undertake modernisation and digitisation of APMCs, accelerate farm mechanisation, establish five new Agro-industry clusters and three new Food Processing Parks.
Coming to the state’s income sector, the manifesto promised allocation of ₹1,500 crore for developing the Kalyana Circuit, Banavasi Circuit, Parashurama Circuit, Kaveri Circuit, and Ganagapura corridor to transform Karnataka into India’s most-favored tourist destination.
The manifesto also promised to generate 10 lakh jobs in the manufacturing sector in the state.
The BJP also boasted of its government’s achievements in various sectors and the inclusive development powered by the “double-engine government” concept.
The manifesto also mentioned special plans for Bengaluru, Central, Coastal, Kittur, Kalayana, and Malenadu Karnataka and the Old Mysuru region.
