Get Instant Loan up to ₹10 Lakh!
PM Modi unveils BJP’s ’Sankalp Patra’ for 2024 Lok Sabha elections
- Lok Sabha polls 2024: The BJP manifesto promises bringing all citizens above 70 years of age under the ambit of Ayushman Bharat scheme. It also features uniform civil code, one nation one election, India’s Olympics bid in 2036 and implementation of National Education Policy, among other, promises.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) manifesto 'Sankalp Patra' for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on 14 April, the birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution.
After unveiling the manifesto, the prime minister said it would empower the youth, women, poor people and farmers and help the country in its journey towards ‘Viksit Bharat’ (developed India).
The manifesto, with the tagline ‘Modi Ki Guarantee 2024’, calls for bringing all citizens aged 70 and more under the the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which provides free treatment up to ₹5 Lakh.
"The biggest concern of the elderly is how will they afford treatment for their ailments. This concern is even more serious for the middle class. BJP has now taken the 'sankalp' that every individual above 75 years of age will be brought within the purview of Ayushman Bharat Yojana," the prime minister said.
BJP president JP Nadda, and union ministers Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman and Rajnath Singh were also present at the function at BJP headquarters in the national capital.
The BJP also promised to bring in a Uniform Civil Code or UCC if it retains its government at the centre. The UCC is perhaps the only major promise in previous manifestos that the party has not fulfilled yet.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a social media post that the BJP manifesto did not speak about unemployment, while his colleague Jairam Ramesh criticised it as ‘jumla patra’ (empty promise).
On infrastructure creation, Modi said the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project would be completed soon, and that the BJP would implement at least three more bullet train projects covering east, north and south India if voted back to power. The manifesto also mentioned greener manufacturing in sectors such as steel, cement, metals, and engineering goods, expanding domestic defence manufacturing and exports, and positioning India as a global railway, shipping and aviation production hub.
On welfare, the party said it would introduce new policies to build houses on slum land for low-income families, further expand the Ujjwala scheme for free LPG connections to poor households, continue to increase minimum support price for farm produce from time to time, and facilitate ease of working for gig workers, truck drivers, porters, domestic workers, and street vendors.
India’s Olympics bid in 2036, implementation of National Education Policy, ‘One Nation One Election’ and a law against paper leaks, also featured in the manifesto. It also promises to provide free "ration, water, gas connection and electricity" for the next five years to poor people.
The BJP also promised to start work on 6G internet connectivity. Among other promises, the BJP has vowed to construct more 3 crore houses for poor, continue free ration to 80 Crore people for next five years and roll out piped domestic gas connections.
The party promised increase the mudra loan limit from ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh.
The manifesto also promised to reduce electricity bill of poor families to zero. "Now, we will work towards reducing the electricity bill of crores of families to zero and creating earning opportunities from electricity. We have implemented the PM Surya Ghar Free Electricity Scheme," the prime minister said.
The 27-member manifesto committee of the BJP was headed by union defence minister Rajnath Singh. The panel met twice to deliberate on the manifesto. Soon after the launch, Modi handed copies of the manifesto to three beneficiaries of central government schemes.
Catch all the live action on Elections and get exclusive coverage on Assembly Election Results 2024 with Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
Business NewsElectionsPM Modi unveils BJP’s ’Sankalp Patra’ for 2024 Lok Sabha elections
First Published:14 Apr 2024, 09:35 AM IST
- Top Gainers
- Top Losers
- 52 Week High