Bengaluru, May 4 (IANS): With an eye on returning to power in Karnataka, the BJP on Friday released its manifesto for the Assembly elections by promising free smartphones to poor women, free laptop to students entering college and visits to China and Israel by farmers.
"Our manifesto aims to cater to the aspirations of the people of Karnataka. We have focused on the welfare of farmers, women, youth and backward sections," said the Bharatiya Janata Party's state unit head and Chief Ministerial candidate B.S. Yeddyurappa.
"All women from below poverty line (BPL) families will be given free smartphones under a 'Mukhya Mantri Smartphone Yojane'," Yeddyurappa told the media. And every student enrolling in a college will get a free laptop.
One thousand farmers will be allowed each year to travel to countries like Israel and China to study the best practices in agriculture under the "Chief Minister's Fellowship for Agriculture", the manifesto said.
The document proposes to waive off all farmers' loans upto Rs 1 lakh from nationalised banks and cooperative banks in the very first state Cabinet meeting. Assembly elections are due on May 12.
The party said it will support about 20 lakh small and marginal dry land farmers through a direct income support of Rs 10,000.
"We will ensure that farmers receive 1.5 times the cost of production as Minimum Support Price (MSP)," read the 60-page manifesto.
The party will set aside Rs 5,000-crore "Raitha Bandhu Market Intervention Fund" to support farmers during price fluctuations.
"An amount of Rs 100-crore will be allocated for 'Raitha Bandhu Scholarship' to be given to farmers' children to pursue agriculture and allied sector courses in the state," the manifesto added.
The BJP leader said the party will earmark Rs 10,000-crore for a "Stree Unnati" Fund to set up women-run cooperatives across the state and establish stores to market the products made by the women at district and sub-district headquarters.
The party said it would ensure more work opportunities in the state but did not specify the number of jobs it aimed to create.
The BJP also said it will reintroduce the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Preservation Bill, 2012.
Key points in the manifesto:
- Separate ministry to plan and implement projects to ensure clean drinking water using river and surface water for every household
- Separate ministry to make Karnataka a 'Hut Free' and 'Slum Free' state through proper implementation of PM Awas Yojana
- Rs 500 crore 'Devalaya Punnaruthana Fund' for the restoration and renovation of temples and mathas.
- To ensure that all bodies formed to administer Hindu religious institutions will consist solely of members of the Hindu community.
- Hyderabad-Karnataka Industrial Mega Corridor will be built from Hosapete to Hyderabad passing through Koppal, Raichur, Yadgir, Kalaburagi and Bidar
- Committmnt to 'Inclusive Long-Term Vision of Development' in carrying out a '30 District - 30 Hub' mega development plan
- Set up KIRTI Aayoga (Karnataka Institute for Reformative and Transformative Initiatives) to replace Karnataka Knowledge Commission and state Planning Commission
- Strengthen the Sakala Act and expand the scope of the Sakala Act to all Govt services.
- To ensure that there is no interference by the government in temple administration and maintenance. To ensure that the revenue of temples is used only and fully for expenditure on temples and related religious activities
- Waiver of loans taken by weavers within 3 months of forming the government
- Set up development corporations/welfare boards for Tigala, Savita Samaja, Idiga, Billava and Yadava communities
- Celebrate Amarashilpi Jakanachari Jayanti every year
- Special coaching centres to prepare SC/ST/OBC/BPL students for entrance exams like JEE, CAT, KPSC and UPSC. BPL category students seeking higher education to get zero interest rate loans upto Rs 3 lakh for degree and Rs 5 lakh for integrated courses
- Rs 8,500 crore 'Madara Chennaiah Housing Scheme' to build modern housing for SC communities
- Rs 1,000 crore OBC fund to incentivise traditional occupations and ensure welfare of practitioners of traditional professions
- 'Annadasoha' scheme to ensure food security for all
-Provide BPL card holders with free food items and APL card holders with quality food items at lesser rates
- Rs 1,500 crore 'Maharishi Valmiki Scholarship Scheme' to increase scholarships of ST students
- Rs 2,500 crore Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Fund to clean and revive the lakes and rivers of Bengaluru and free Bengalureans from the water tanker mafia
- Form 'Kittur Rani Chennamma Flying Squads' to attend to distress calls of women in Bengaluru quickly
- Organise a Special Industrial Investment Summit for Hyderabad Karnataka region in one of the district headquarters in the Article 371-J region every 2 years to attract investment into the area
- 'Ayushman Karnataka Scheme' to provide poor and vulnerable families a cover of Rs 5 lakh for treatment.
- Set up 2 'Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences' (on the lines of AIIMS)
- Provide free sanitary napkins to BPL women and girl students and at Rs. 1 for other women under the new 'Stree Suvidha Scheme'
- Launch the 'Mukhya Mantri Smartphone Yojane' to provide women from below poverty line (BPL) families with free smartphones
- Form a Special Investigation Cell, under a woman police officer and employing 1,000 police women to investigate all pending crimes against women
- Increase the amount payable at maturity under the Bhagyalakshmi scheme to Rs 2 lakh
- Establish a Rs 10,000 crore 'Stree Unnati Fund' to set up one of the largest women run co-operatives and establish 'Stree Unnati Stores' to market its products
- Loans upto Rs 2 lakh shall be given to women only SHGs at 1% per annum interest
- Rs 100 crore 'Raitha Bandhu Scholarship' to enable farmers’ children to pursue agriculture & allied sector courses.
- 1,000 farmers to travel to countries like Israel and China per year to study best practices under the CM’s Fellowship for Agriculture.
- Rs 1.5 lakh crore 'Sujalam Suphalam Karnataka Yojane' to complete all irrigation projects by 2023.
- Launch 'Mission Kalyani' to rejuvenate all tanks and lakes in the state.
- 3 phase power supply for 10 hours for farmers to operate their pumpsets.
- Rs 5,000 crore 'Raitha Bandhu Market Intervention Fund' to support farmers during price fluctuations.
- 'Raitha Bandhu department', under CMO, to monitor implementation of all farmer friendly schemes.
- Rs 3,000 crore Kamadhenu Fund for development of animal husbandry and dairy farming infrastructure and Rs 1,000 crore fund for expanding veterinary services.
- The 'Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Preservation Bill 2012' will be reintroduced