Daijiworld Media Network - Margao
Margao, Oct 10: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Friday announced six guarantees for Goa, promising 24-hour electricity supply with 300 free units for every Goan, monthly financial assistance of Rs 3,000 for every woman and health insurance of Rs 10 lakh for every family.
Addressing a packed hall, Kejriwal also promised to scrap Section 39A of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act within a month, provide free bus travel for women and establish a sports ground in every village.
Kejriwal said Goans were struggling with high electricity bills, rising prices, water shortages, unemployment and corruption under the BJP government, while elected representatives were prospering.
He said women had to fulfil numerous criteria to receive benefits under the Griha Aadhar scheme, whereas the AAP government in Punjab provided financial assistance to every woman without conditions. He also alleged that the BJP wanted to sell Goan land to the highest bidder.
Responding to questions about how the proposed guarantees would be funded, Kejriwal said the AAP had delivered on its promises in Punjab and Delhi, arguing that the issue was one of political will rather than budgetary constraints. He claimed Goa had a cash-rich government capable of implementing the schemes.
AAP Goa president Valmiki Naik said the BJP had given Goa 15 years of corruption, rising prices, crime and unemployment.
This is not the first time Kejriwal has announced a set of guarantees for Goa. Ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections, he had announced seven guarantees for the youth in a post on September 21, 2021.
These included a job for one unemployed person in every family, a monthly allowance of Rs 3,000 for unemployed youth until they secured employment, and a commitment to reserve 80 per cent of private-sector jobs for Goans.
He had also promised monthly assistance of Rs 5,000 each for people who had lost their livelihoods in the tourism sector due to the Covid-19 pandemic and those affected by the mining ban, besides setting up a skill university.
In December 2021, Kejriwal further promised to increase the monthly assistance under the Griha Aadhar scheme from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500 and provide an additional Rs 1,000 to women who were not covered under the scheme.