In a significant political move ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah today released the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) manifesto, ‘Sankalp Patra 2024’.
The manifesto outlines 25 promises aimed at accelerating development, ensuring social justice, and enhancing security in the region. Shah, while unveiling the manifesto, highlighted the positive impacts of the abolishment of Article 370, calling it a historic decision by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that has led to peace, progress, and prosperity in the erstwhile state.
Here’s a closer look at the 25 key promises made by the BJP in their manifesto:
1. Leader in Development and Security: Eradicating terrorism and separatism to position Jammu and Kashmir as a leader in development and progress.
2. Maa Samman Yojana: Financial support of ₹18,000 annually for the senior-most woman in every household.
3. Pandit Prem Nath Dogra Rozgar Yojana (PPNDRY): Creation of 5 lakh jobs, boosting employment in various sectors.
4. Pragati Shiksha Yojana: Providing ₹3,000 yearly as a travel allowance to college students, along with tablets/laptops for those in higher secondary classes in remote areas.
5. Fair Recruitment: Ensuring fair and timely recruitment processes, including reimbursement of coaching fees (₹10,000 for two years) and travel costs to examination centres.
6. Free LPG Cylinders: Two free LPG cylinders annually for beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.
7. Tourism Boost: Developing Dal Lake as a world-class tourist destination, creating an amusement park at Srinagar’s Tattoo Ground, and establishing an IT hub as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Jammu.
8. Support for MSMEs: Addressing issues of 7,000 MSME units by improving access to land and public utilities.
9. Atal Awas Yojana: Free allotment of 5 marlas of land to landless beneficiaries.
10. Relief on Utility Bills: A scheme to provide relief from outstanding electricity and water bills.
11. Increased Pensions: Triple the current pensions for the elderly, widows, and disabled persons from ₹1,000 to ₹3,000.
12. Healthcare Expansion: Expanding the Ayushman Bharat Sehat Scheme, increasing healthcare coverage by ₹2 lakhs.
13. Medical Education: Addition of 1,000 new seats to government medical colleges.
14. PM Kisan Samman Nidhi: Increasing the annual financial support under the scheme from ₹6,000 to ₹10,000 per farmer.
15. Reduced Electricity Costs: Slashing electricity tariffs by up to 50% for agricultural activities.
16. Reservation in Promotion: Introducing reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in government service promotions.
17. Agniveers’ Quota: Providing a 20% job quota for Agniveers in J&K government jobs and police recruitment.
18. Support for Contractual Employees: Addressing the grievances of long-serving ad-hoc, contractual, and daily wage employees.
19. Infrastructure Development: Building 10,000 km of new rural roads to ensure connectivity for all villages.
20. Metro Projects: Fast-tracking the development of metro services in Jammu and Srinagar.
21. Temple Restoration: Restoring 100 temples and developing prominent religious sites, including the Shankaracharya Temple and Raghunath Temple.
22. Addressing Illegal Settlements: A drive to address illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi settlements in the region.
23. Rehabilitation of Displaced Communities: The Tika Lal Taploo Visthapit Samaj Punarvas Yojana will expedite the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, West Pakistan refugees, and other displaced communities.
24. White Paper on Terrorism Victims: Ensuring accountability and justice for all victims of terrorism.
25. Free and Fair Census: Guaranteeing a transparent and fair census, addressing concerns raised over previous censuses.
The BJP’s ‘Sankalp Patra 2024’ reflects the party’s vision to secure a stronger and more prosperous Jammu and Kashmir. With the first phase of polling just around the corner, the manifesto highlights the BJP’s focus on development, security, and the protection of cultural and religious identities in the region.
Whether these promises resonate with voters will become clearer as the election campaign progresses. Jammu and Kashmir is set to vote for its 90-member assembly in three phases, with polling scheduled for September 18, September 25, and October 1. The manifesto underscores BJP’s commitment to making Jammu and Kashmir a leader in development and an example of peace by eradicating terrorism and separatism.
