BJP’s national President, JP Nadda, launched the party manifesto for the Manipur state assembly election on February 17. It emphasizes the “Double-Engine Government” policy, specifying electing the same party as the one in power in the centre to streamline the development process and reduce red tape. He also reiterated the Act East Policy and claimed that the party had successfully mainstreamed the North East with the centre. The party has made a lot of offers of freebies, among other concessions in the manifesto.
Features of BJP Manipur Manifesto
- The monthly pension of senior citizens would be increased from ₹200 to ₹1,000, according to JP Nadda in a gathering of media and party leaders.
- Financial support to farmers under PM-KISAN would be increased from ₹6,000 to ₹8,000 for the state of Manipur.
- Accidental insurance of up to 5 lacs would be provided free of cost to the state’s fishers.
- Scholarships would be given to all the children of small and marginal farmers.
- The same provision would be implemented for all landless farmers.
- ‘Aspirational Blocks’ and ‘One Sub-Division, One Product’ programs would be started in Manipur. Under these programs, multi-faceted development in different blocks, popularization of the product, and bringing the market to the state would be facilitated.
According to Nadda, black rice, lemon, chilli and orange have GI tags. He believes it has greatly benefitted the food and fruit markets of Manipur.
Students and Youth
- Free scooties would be provided to all college-going deserving girls in the state.
- Free laptops would be provided to all meritorious Class-XII graduating students.
- According to Nadda, 100% coverage of the Ayushman Bharat scheme must be ensured. This scheme is a national public health insurance fund aiming to provide free healthcare insurance coverage for those belonging to the low-income bracket of the country. This scheme applies to roughly 50% of the national population.
- It promises new AIIMS and a skill university opened.
“We stand committed to establish a skill university in Manipur, and that is how we are going to provide jobs or facilitate job opportunities. We also stand by the opening of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Manipur,” Financial Express quoted Nadda as saying.
The party also did not fail to dig at the congress when Nadda said, “600 bandhs took place in Manipur during the Congress era. But, during N Biren Singh Ji’s government, there has not been a single bandh in the state!”
Something important to notice is that there is no mention of the repeal of AFSPA in the manifesto, which continues to be a controversial topic in the state. However, Nadda promised that all the points incorporated in the manifesto would be delivered in the next five years if the party was voted to power.
