From free cylinders to BPL families, UCC, to affordable food scheme: Key promises in BJP’s 16-point Karnataka manifesto

Bengaluru: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party released its manifesto for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly polls at an event in Bengaluru on Monday, making a host of promises topping which was provision of 3 free cooking gas cylinders to all BPL (Below Poverty Level) families annually.

The free cylinders will be provided in three installments of one cylinder each in the months of Yugadi, Ganesh Chaturthi and Deepavali. The manifesto or the vision document was released by the BJP’s national president JP Nadda in the presence of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his predecessor and Lingayat stalwart BS Yediyurappa.

Also, in an announcement similar to the one in the run-up to the Gujarat and Uttarakhand Assembly polls last year, the BJP promised to implement Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Karnataka on the basis of the recommendations of a high-level committee which is to be constituted for the purpose.

The ruling party, in all, made 16 promises in its vision document which promised to launch the ‘Poshana’ (nutrition) scheme through which every BPL household will be provided with half litre Nandini milk every day and 5 kg Shri Anna-siri dhanya (millets) through monthly ration kits.

“We will introduce the Visvesvaraya Vidya Yojane under which the state government will partner with eminent individuals and institutions for holistic upgradation of government schools to top class standards,” the manifesto said.

The BJP also promised to launch the ‘Samanvaya’ scheme to drive collaboration between SMEs and ITIs and generate a dynamic ecosystem of education and employment for talented young professionals.

“We will provide career support for aspirational youth by providing financial incentives for students to pursue coaching for IAS/KAS/banking/government jobs,” it said.

Underlining its commitment to the healthcare sector, the BJP said it will strengthen the public healthcare infrastructure in the state through ‘Mission Swasthya Karnataka’ by establishing one Namma clinic, equipped with diagnostic facilities, in every ward of municipal corporations. “Additionally, we will also provide a free annual master health check-up for senior citizens,” the party stated in the vision document.

“We will develop Bengaluru for the next generation by designating it as ‘State Capital Region’, and executing a comprehensive, technology-led city development program – centred around Ease of Life, cohesive transportation networks and enabling ecosystems for making Bengaluru a Global Hub of Digital Innovation,” the manifesto said.

Aiming to transform Karnataka into a hub of Electric Vehicles, the BJP promised to set up charging stations, supporting 1,000 startups, converting BMTC buses into fully electric buses, and creating an “EV City” on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

“We will set up a Rs30,000 crore K-Agri Fund to establish micro-cold storage facilities, agro processing units in all GPs, undertake modernisation and digitisation of APMCs, accelerate farm mechanisation, establish 5 new Agro-Industry clusters and 3 new Food Processing Parks, supported by a 1,000 strong FPO ecosystem,” it added.

Promising to allocate Rs 1,500 crore to develop the Kalyana Circuit, Banavasi Circuit, Parashurama Circuit, Kaveri Circuit and Ganagapura Corridor, the party said it aims to transform Karnataka into India’s most favoured tourist destination.

“We will broaden the scope of the Production Linked Incentive Scheme by incorporating a comprehensive plan that encompasses logistics, industrial clusters, connectivity, and export facilities generating 10 lakh manufacturing jobs ‘Beyond Bengaluru’,” it said.

“We will improve the “ease of living” of apartment dwellers in Bengaluru by constituting the Karnataka Residents’ Welfare Consultative Committee to reform the Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, 1972 and to modernise the grievance redressal mechanism,” the manifesto added.

The party promised to launch ‘Sarvarigu Suru Yojane’ under which the Revenue Department will distribute 10 lakh housing sites across the state to the siteless or homeless beneficiaries.

“We will launch the “Onake Obavva Samajika Nyaya Nidhi” scheme through which we will provide a matching deposit up to Rs 10,000 on 5 year fixed deposits made under the scheme by women of SC, ST households,” it added.

Karnataka will go to Assembly polls on May 10 and the counting of votes will be done on May 13.