Union Home Minister and the Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amit Shah on Sunday unveiled the party's manifesto for the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections during an event at the Eastern Zonal Cultural centre in Kolkata. The manifesto has been released almost a week after the Trinamool Congress released theirs.
Speaking at the rally, Amit Shah said, "We have decided to call our manifesto a 'Sankalp Patra'. It is not just a manifesto but a resolution letter for West Bengal by the country's largest party."
ALSO READ | TMC Manifesto Released: Mamata Banerjee Announces Jobs, Free Ration & Other Schemes Ahead Of Bengal Polls
Reading out the poll manifesto document, Amit Shah announced that the party has decided to implement seventh pay commission for West Bengal government employees if BJP voted to power. Moreover, Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will be implemented in the first Cabinet and refugees who have been staying here for 70 years will be given citizenship. Each refugee family will get Rs 10,000 per year for 5 years.
BJP Poll Manifesto Highlights:
- Women to be given 33% reservation in state government jobs
- Free education for all women from KG to PG
- Free public transportation for all women
- Aayushman Bharat Yojna
- Strengthen Border fencing
- No infiltrators to be allowed in Bengal
- Continuing PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Rs 18,000 would be transferred to 75 lakh farmers' bank accounts without any cut
- Rehabilitation of refuges.
- Refugees who have been staying here for 70 years will be given citizenship.
- Each refugee family will get Rs 10,000 per year for 5 years
- 7th Pay Commission for government employees
- Government job to one person in each family
- Three new AIIMS hospitals will be built in North Bengal, Jangalmahal and Sundarban so that locals don't have to travel to Kolkata to avail healthcare facilities
- Common Eligibility Test for all state government jobs to keep a check on corruption
- Separate Task Forces to curb the problem of arms racketeering, unchecked narcotics trade, land grabbing, fake currency circulation and cattle smuggling
On Saturday, Shah had promised that the manifesto will give prominent space to the central schemes that will be implemented in the state when BJP comes to power after the elections.
West Bengal is witnessing a high-octane battle between the BJP and the TMC for the upcoming Assembly polls. Elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 to April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.