Interesting!

The LKAdvani campaign office forwarded a summary of the BJP manifesto to many email addresses. I also received it. If other political parties send similar emails, I will publish their manifesto summaries. (Only economic points are given here)

QUOTE

Dear Friends,Following are the Key Points of BJP’s Manifesto for the ongoing General Elections to make India a Prosperous, Developed & a Stronger Nation.

PUTTING POOR FIRST:

1. All BPL families to get 35kg of rice or wheat every month at Rs 2 per kg.

2. Ensure farm loans at a maximum interest rate of 4 percent.

3. Initiate special schemes for the urban poor, such as loans at 4 percent interest to poor vendors.

ECONOMY GROWS, INDIA PROSPERS:

1. Generate employment through massive public spending on infrastructure projects. Complete the implementation of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s dream projects: National Highway Development Project by building 15-20 km of new highways every day; and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, to link all villages with over 500 people by all-weather road.

2. Exempt personal Income Tax for those earning up to Rs 3 lakh per annum. For women and Senior Citizens, the exemption will be Rs 3.5 lakh per annum. This will benefit over 3.5 crore people.

3. Take firm steps to identify and retrieve Indian money stashed away in foreign banks. Estimated at Rs. 25 lakh crore- getting this amount back through international cooperation will be enough to complete road and power connectivity throughout the country; ensure setting up of quality schools in all villages.

JAI JAWAN IN ACTION:

1. All members of the armed forces and the para-military shall be exempted from payment of Income Tax. This will benefit nearly 20 lakh Jawans who guard our Nation.

2. Implement one-rank-one-pension.

ENERGY SAVED, ENERGY GAINED:

1. Generate an additional 120,000 MW of electricity in 5 years through speedy conclusion of ongoing projects while sanctioning new power plants. 20% of this will be through harnessing non-conventional energy sources.

WOMEN EMPOWERED, NATION STRENGTHENED:

1. Introduce the Madhya Pradesh BJP Government’s highly successful ‘Ladli Lakshmi’ Scheme throughout India to directly transfer funds to the school going girl child to encourage education and secure economic self-sufficiency for young women. Rs. 1.18 lakh after completion of 12th standard.

2. Pave the way for nationwide implementation of the Bhamashah Scheme proposed by the erstwhile BJP Government in Rajasthan to directly pay Rs 1,500 to open a bank account for every adult woman.

3. Provide bicycles to every school going girl child from BPL families throughout India.

4. Salaries of 28 lakh Anganwadi workers and helpers, who are the backbone of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) will be doubled.

YOUNG INDIA, NATION’S PILLAR:

1. A network of National Knowledge Incubation Centres will be set up throughout the country to identify and groom young talent for every sector of the economy.

2. Study loans will be made cheaper and more accessible by fixing student loan interest at 4%.

3. BJP will create 12 million IT-enabled jobs in rural areas. Computer prices will be drastically cut to make it affordable to every section. All educational institutions will have internet facilities within 5 years. Broadband connectivity to every village.

4. Launch an aggressive project to groom young sporting talent by allocating Rs 5,000 crore for creation of sports infrastructure especially in educational institutions Appoint trained coaches; secure employment for international medal winners. Sport will be a compulsory subject in school curricula.

NATION’S WEALTH, PEOPLE’S HEALTH:

1.BJP is committed to making the right to clean water a fundamental right. A massive programme will be launched to provide clean, drinking water to every citizen.

2. A regulatory authority to be set up for private hospitals and nursing homes to monitor unfair practices.

3. A comprehensive project to bring health-for-all by 2014.

4. Introduce a mandatory ‘Dial 108 for ambulance at your doorstep’ scheme throughout the country.

5. Revive the creation of new AIIMS, originally initiated by the NDA Government but neglected by UPA. All six state-of-the-art hospitals will be rapidly constructed over the next 5 years.

6. Janani Suraksha Yojana to care for delivering mothers and infants will be strengthened.

SENIOR CITIZENS:

1. Recognising the importance of Senior Citizens in nation-building and inculcating civilisational values, BJP commits itself to reducing the age for receiving travel benefits from 65 to 60 years. 2. Complete tax exemption to senior citizens in respect of pension income.

CREATING THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT:

1. Combating climate change and global warming through non-polluting technologies will be prioritized.

2. Importance given to programmes to arrest the melting of Himalayan glaciers from which most major rivers in North India originate.

3. Take all appropriate steps to save Tiger, the National Animal, and safeguard critical habitants of all wildlife. Emphasis to be laid on protecting India’s resplendent but endangered bio-diversity.