Cash Aid For Women To Cheaper Electricity: How MVA & Mahayuti Poll Promises Compare

MVA has released a joint manifesto. BJP released its manifesto on Sunday, while NCP of Ajit Pawar came out with constituency-specific manifestos earlier. Shiv Sena has yet to release its manifesto. 

Like any poll season, it’s raining promises in Maharashtra ahead of the assembly election as the ruling Mahayuti coalition and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) try to one-up each other to woo voters. Key aspects of the promises include cash aid for women, and caste census. 

The MVA — comprising the Congress, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) — released a joint manifesto on Sunday. While the Mahayuti has been stating its common agenda at poll rallies, the BJP released its manifesto for the state on Sunday, with ally NCP of Ajit Pawar coming out with constituency-specific manifestos last week. Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena has yet to release its manifesto. 

Here are some key pointers on how the two alliances’ manifestos compare:

Women:

While the Mahayuti has promised to increase the monthly cash aid given to women under its flagship ‘Ladki Bahin Yojana’ to Rs 2,100 from Rs 1,500, the MVA has vowed to offer women an amount of Rs 3,000 per month under its ‘Mahalakshmi’ scheme. The MVA has also promised two days of menstrual leave for women, The Indian Express reported.

Caste & Religion:

The MVA has reiterated its promise for a caste census and vowed the removal of the 50% quota ceiling. Meanwhile, the Mahayuti has promised a strict anti-conversion law.

Farmers:

The Mahayuti and the MVA have both promised crop loan waivers, with the latter also offering Rs 50,000 as incentive for timely repayment of loans by farmers. 

Jobs & Entrepreneurship:

The BJP, the largest constituent of the MVA, has promised zero-interest loans up to Rs 15 lakh and creation of 25 lakh jobs over the next five years, The Indian Express reported. The MVA has offered loans of up to Rs 5 lakh at low interest rates for women entrepreneurs, besides promising to fill up 2.5 lakh vacant state government posts. The MVA has said it will aim to create 1.25 million jobs over the next five years, while offering Rs 4,000 as monthly aid for the unemployed, the Indian Express reported.

Power:

The MVA has promised a waiver of up to 100 units for households consuming up to 300 units of power, while the Mahayuti has vowed to lower electricity bills by 30%.