Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley on Sunday released the ‘vision document’ of the BJP ahead of the assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh due on 9 Nov.
The manifesto released by Jailtely lists down the focus areas that the BJP will work on if it comes to power in Himachal Pradesh. The Finance Minister was accompanied by Union ministers JP Nadda and Thawar Chand Gehlot, former chief ministers Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal, state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti and other senior leaders during the release.
The documents list down the measures that BJP will take up to end corruption and mafia raj in the state. It promises totally eradicating the mafia raj, ensure women safety, make the Chardham pilgrimage free for the elderly, setting up of a task force of ex-servicemen to deal with drug mafia and crime and a 24-hour helpline in the chief minister’s office for reporting all types of crimes.
The party in wake of the widespread protests over the of Kotkhai rape and murder case and other incidents plans to take special steps towards improving the law and order conditions in Uttar Pradesh.
While releasing the document, Arun Jaitley took a dig at the incumbent government in the state, saying that BJP will have to do double the amount of work in half the time to improve the conditions in Himachal Pradesh. “The BJP government would have to do ten years’ work in five years as the present Congress government did not take up any developmental work while re-establishing the credibility of the government would be challenging,” Jaitley said.
The document also stated that apart from eradication of corruption the government will also maintain transparency with the public. To ensure the transparency factor, the manifesto stated that BJP MLAs would publicly declare all their assets.
Among the salient features of the vision document, few are: Safe drinking water to every house, road connectivity to all villages, Emergency medical services in rural and remote areas, doubling the income of farmers by 2022, raising of compensation for land acquired by the government for developmental projects, social security pension and free “Chardham Yatra” for senior citizens.
The documents also read that laptops and free wi-fi will be made available to the Class III and Class IV jobs, also the interviews for these type jobs will be abolished. It also promises free education up to graduation to the BPL families. It also said that jobs fairs will be organised so that the unemployed youth could avail the benefits and new tourists destinations will also be set up the state to create employment and the promotion of homestay tourism.
While addressing the gathering during the release, Jaitley attacking Virbhadra Singh and his government said that “Virbhadra Singh remained engaged in self survival and due to the power struggle within Congress, the government had no time to fulfill the mandate given by the people.”
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, while addressing a rally in Himachal on Sunday, also attacked the ruling government in Himachal saying that under the rule of Congress, the land of Gods has become the land of crime.
Virbhadra Singh had alleged that the cases against him were directed on the command of Arun Jaitley. However, Jaitley denied the allegations saying that “all the cases were instituted on the basis of the documents that surfaced in 2012 when the UPA government was in power.” He further added that who made the charges is not the case, the Chief Minister cannot run away from answering serious charges like corruption.
The 68-seat Himachal Pradesh will hold the assembly elections on 9 Nov and the results will be declared on 18 Dec.