As D-day gets closer in Karnataka, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party released its election manifesto, or the vision document “Praja Pranalike.” The party has made a slew of promises including distribution of freebies.
In its 11-point manifesto, the BJP has promised the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) based on the recommendations from a high-level committee, the introduction of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), financial incentives to youth, Namma clinics in every ward and setting up of Atal Ahara Kendra in every ward.
It has also promised to upgrade all government schools, launch the Poshana scheme, distribute 10 lakh housing sites, and three free cylinders, half a litre of Nandini milk every day, and five kgs Shri anna through monthly ration kits to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.
The ruling party has also said it will create 10 lakh jobs outside Bengaluru by widening the scope of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. In addition, it aims to make Bengaluru a ‘State Capital Region’ and make it a global hub of digital innovation.
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The BJP has also said that it wants to make Karnataka a “premium hub of Electric Vehicles” by installing charging stations, converting state transport vehicles to totally electric models, and developing an EV City. Lastly, it will also be setting up a K-Agri Fund worth ₹30,000 crore for establishing micro-cold storage facilities and agro-processing units and modernization and digitisation of agricultural produce market committees (APMCs).
Congress Manifesto
Congress, over the last month, has made five guarantees. Led by its noted candidates D.K Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah in Karnataka, the party has promised 200 units of free power to all households, 10 kg of rice free to every member of BPL household under Anna Bhagya, ₹2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family named Gruha Lakshmi, and ₹3,000 every month for graduate youth, and ₹1,500 for diploma holders - both in the age group of 18-25- for two years.
Congress national leader Rahul Gandhi recently announced the party’s fifth guarantee to be free travel for women in public transport buses in Karnataka.
JDS manifesto
Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS), the regional party in Karnataka headed by former Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy, over the last 99 days as part of its ‘Pancharatna Yatra,’ has introduced five programmes. The party has promised economic assistance scheme for families of farmers, waiving off loans of women self-help groups, medical assistance from the government to families upto the amount of ₹40 lakh to prevent medical bankruptcy, making government English- and Kannada-medium schools competitive with private schools in all gram panchayats.
Additionally, 30 hospital beds with free dialysis and lab facilities will be built in all panchayat centers. The party also said that it would provide assistance of ₹10,000 per acre for up to 10 acres for farmers to procure seeds and fertilisers under the ‘Raitha Bandhu’ programme.