Mumbai: Creation of ‘five crore’ jobs in the next five years, providing houses for all by 2022 and ushering in USD 1 trillion economy are the key promises made by the ruling BJP, which is seeking a second straight term, in its manifesto for the October 21 Maharashtra assembly polls.
The BJP “Sankalp patra” (manifesto) comes three days after its ally Shiv Sena released a separate charter listing promises like providing a full meal at Rs 10 and making farmers debt-free, among other things. The BJP and the Sena are contesting 164 and 124 seats, respectively, in alliance.
Another key takeaway of the BJP manifesto is the promise to set up a separate maintenance department for the national and state highways, where repairs and other works are currently done by the road construction contractors. The ambitious Marathwada drinking water grid project worth Rs 16,000 crore has also found place in the manifesto.
The BJP has also promised to connect all 11 dams in the perennially parched Marathwada region, and provide drinking water supply with the help of a closed pipeline. It also assures to invest Rs five lakh crore in several infrastructure projects in the state. While releasing the document, BJP working president J P Nadda praised chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for “changing the political culture of Maharashtra.” Maharashtra was earlier called as the state “full of corruption”, but now it is known as “free of corruption”, he said.
The CM’s seat had earlier become a “musical chair”, but Fadnavis provided a stable government, he added. Later, Fadnavis said Maharashtra alone generates “25 per cent” of the total jobs in the coutry. The Congress and the NCP have been blaming the BJP government for the “rising unemployment” and “economic downturn.” “Maharashtra’s population ratio to India is around 9 to 10 per cent, but the job creation is some 25 per cent compared to the total jobs created at the national level,” the chief minister said. Fadnavis asked the Congress and the NCP to declare the number of jobs created when their government was in power in Maharashtra.
“I have already shared the data. Now they should share the figures of the employment generation under their rule,” Fadnavis said. Polling for all 288 Assembly seats will be held on October 21 and counting of votes will take place on October 24. In their joint manifesto released on October 7, the Congress and the NCP combine promised monthly allowance of Rs 5,000 for the unemployed youth and a minimum salary of Rs 21,000 a month for workers if voted to power. (PTI)
