BJP poll manifesto 2019 sets the tone with ‘Sankalp Patra’
The high-powered BJP team led by the Prime Minister today released the much-anticipated poll manifesto 2019 titled “Sankalp Patra.”
With opening speeches from BJP party president Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, and finally, PM Modi himself.
Sankalp Patra focuses on the party’s commitment to one mission, one direction with a focus on nationalism and security, economic development, social security, human development, culture, and proactive foreign policy.
Here are the key highlights of Sankalp Patra 2019:
Nation First
- Zero tolerance for terrorism in any form.
- Abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35(A) in J&K
- Push “Make in India” for defence manufacturing
- Armed forces to get a free hand to tackle terrorism in J&K and elsewhere
- Armed forces modernization to be speeded up and increased focus on forces’ welfare
- Passing of the Citizenship Amendment Bill
- Combating left-wing extremism
Agriculture and Farmer Welfare
- Farmer income to double by 2022
- Rs 25 lakh crore investment in the agriculture-rural sector
- Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PMKSNY) to extend to all farmers with less than 2 hectares land
- Pension scheme for small and marginal farmers
- Interest-free Kisan Credit Card loans for one to five years
India as the world’s third-largest economy
- India to be the third largest economy by 2030
- 5 trillion dollar economy by 2025; 10 trillion by 2032
- Aim to lower income tax; simplify GST
- New Seed Start-Up Fund of Rs 20,000 crore
Infrastructure
- Rs 100 lakh crore investment in infrastructure by 2024
- Set up new Ministry of Water; piped water to all households by 2024
- Double the national highways; 60,000 km of new highways construction in five years
- All railway tracks to be broad gauge and electrified
- All Gram Panchayats to be connected through a high-speed optical fiber
Healthy India
- 1,50,000 Health and Wellness Centres by 2022
- 75 medical institutes by 2022
- Doubling of MBBS and specialist doctors by 2024
Good Governance
- Introduce simultaneous elections for parliament, state assemblies, and local bodies
- Maintain single voter list in the country, applicable to all elections
- Continue push for corruption-free Bharat
- Undertake police reforms; formulate ‘Model Police Act’ for all states
Yuva Bharat
- Rs 50 lakh loans for young entrepreneurs; 50% to women, 25% for men
- A special focus for northeast
- Increased sports infrastructure and introduce nation-wide Fit India campaign
Education for All
- 200 more Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas
- 50% increase in seats in higher education including engineering and technical training
- 50 new higher educational institutions of imminence by 2024
Women Empowerment
- Increase focus on ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’
- Abolish Triple Talaq and Nikah Halala
- Commitment to introducing 33% reservation for women in Parliament
Inclusive Development
- Ensuring justice for all
- Increased school education infrastructure to SC/ST category under the Eklavya Model Residential School
- Establish 50,000 Van Dhan Kendras in tribal areas
- Pucca houses by 2022 for those living in kaccha houses or without any house
- Pension scheme for small shopkeepers
Cultural Heritage
- Commitment to introducing a Uniform Civil Code
- Maintain commitment to building Ram Mandir through
- National Task Force for languages and dialects; promotion of Sanskrit
- Continued commitment to Namami Ganga project
Foreign Policy
- Commitment to pursuing foreign policy around the traditional philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”
- Continue engaging with multilateral institutions
- Continue to push for permanent membership of the UN Security Council
Congress and Opposition parties claim it’s an extended 2014 manifesto
The Congress party and all opposition parties were very vocal in criticizing the BJP manifesto saying it was a rehash of the 2014 manifesto with many unfulfilled promises included in the 2019 manifesto.
Former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah (NC) and former CM Mehbooba Mufti warned the BJP against abrogating Article 370 and Article 35(A) saying it will trigger an extensive violent response. Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (TMC) said her party would not allow the Citizenship Amendment Bill to pass.
