Delhi polls: Here's what BJP manifesto promises

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday released its manifesto for the Delhi assembly polls, promising wheat flour at Rs 2 per kg for the poor, cycles and scooties for girl students as well as an 10 per cent increase in the health and education budget annually.

The BJP, in its 'Sankalp Patra 2020' (manifesto), also said it would focus on women empowerment, traders, infrastructure development and housing for all by 2022.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said the outgoing AAP government's subsidy schemes for power and water will be continued by his party if it is voted to power.

The 'Sankalp Patra' was released at the Delhi BJP office by Union minister Nitin Gadkari, election in-charge Prakash Javadekar and manifesto committee convener Harsh Vardhan.

Party MPs Vijay Goel, Meenakshi Lekhi, Parvesh Verma, Ramesh Bidhuri, Hans Raj Hans and Gautam Gambhir were also present.

The manifesto booklet also created a flutter as it mentioned Raj Kumar Chauhan as the manifesto committee's co-convener, when he has joined the Congress.

The BJP will run the "bullet train" of development in the national capital, Gadkari told reporters.

"BJP's history is linked to Delhi. The future of Delhi will be changed by the BJP," the Union minister said.

Supply of clean drinking water to every household will be ensured when the BJP comes to power, the manifesto stated.

In the document, the BJP asserted that as soon as it comes to power, it will implement the Modi government's Ayushman Bharat health scheme in Delhi.

Delhi BJP chief Tiwari said each poor family will be provided good quality, subsidised 'atta' (wheat flour) at a rate of Rs 2 per kilogram.

The BJP will bring an ambitious 'Samridh Delhi Infrastructure Scheme', with a provision of Rs 10,000 crore, to ensure "focussed and priority" development of roads, flyovers, foot over-bridges and other key infrastructure projects, the manifesto stated.

The manifesto promises to set up a 'Colonies Development Board' for undertaking development of various civic amenities.

It also said that 10 lakh offices and shops of traders in Delhi will be converted from leasehold to freehold on priority basis.

"Necessary changes will also be made in the existing law to provide relief to traders from the ceiling drive," Tiwari said.
In order to improve connectivity in Delhi, 10,000 new green buses will be added to the public transport. Double decker buses will also be introduced with video and free Wi-Fi schemes, the party promises.

High quality free Wi-Fi will be provided on public transport vehicles and at stations and bus stops, it said.

The Aam Aadmi Party government has launched a free Wi-Fi scheme that provides 1.5 GB data and the services is being expanded.

"We will ensure access to high quality health services for the people of Delhi by increasing the health budget by 10 per cent every year," the BJP said in its 'Sankalp Patra'.

The manifesto also promised 400 health and wellness centres under Ayushman Bharat and a 'Mission Zero' to check dengue, chikungunya and malaria.

It said an annual health screening will be conducted for every citizen and a 'Smar Health Card', with fully digitised information, will be issued.

The BJP, which has been slamming the Kejriwal government for failing to fulfil its promises to open new schools and colleges, said it will open 200 new schools and 10 new colleges.

The education budget will be increased by 10 percent every year, the party said.

The manifesto also promised quality power supply and added that the BJP will ensure annual audit of all power companies.

"We will ensure adequate and affordable availability of power to residents of JJ clusters by installing Suryajyoti Domes," it said.

The manifesto also promises to evolve a comprehensive strategy to combat air pollution in Delhi.

Installing WAYU equipment at polluted traffic junctions, 'Pari-Yantra' air purification systems on rooftops of public buses, incentivising use of electric vehicles and setting up charging stations, are also among the BJP's promises.

Scientifically designed barriers to prevent schoolchildren from air and noise pollution, vapur recovery systems at petrol pumps to prevent benzene pollution, are among the measures the BJP will take to combat air pollution, the manifesto said.

The manifesto also listed various promises for women empowerment and safety, including for girls born in poor families.

It said a fixed amount would be deposited in an account on the birth of the first two girls in every economically weaker family so that they receive Rs 2 lakh after attaining 21 years.

Girls belonging to poor families studying in class 9-12 will be provided free bicycle while those pursuing higher education will be provided electric scooty, Tiwari said.

Free sanitary napkins for school girls, a women security cell at the chief minister's office, more fast track courts for redressal of crimes against women, Rani Laxmi Bai Suraksha Yojna, deployment of women home guards and CCTV cameras at crowded areas, and parity of wages, are some other promises made by the BJP in its manifesto.

Tiwari also said that BJP will ensure job security of contract workers, provide arrears to sanitation workers, create 10 lakh job opportunities, fill the vacant government posts, if it comes to power in Delhi.