Bhubaneswar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today released its manifesto named 'Sankalp Patra' for the Odisha elections 2019, with assurance that the party will work towards the formation of a 'New Odisha' by prioritising on poverty alleviation, creation of jobs, women empowerment, education, industrialisation, corruption, farmers' issues, healthcare and overall cultural development.
The manifesto was unveiled by BJP national president Amit Shah in presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, party national vice president Baijayant Panda, State in-charge Arun Singh and other party leaders at the party headquarters here on Sunday.
Senior BJP leaders said that the manifesto is based on nine key points which will be the nine pillars of the party's vision for the development of 'New Odisha'.
Highlighting several other points in party's 'Sankalp Patra', Shah announced for loans at 0% interest for farmers, Rs 3000 per month pension for small and medium farmers (60 years and above), Rs 3500 crore fund for 'Skill Odisha', Rs 2000 crore 'Odisha Tourism Skill' fund, ‘Ease of Doing Business' for Odisha within five years, filling of all vacant posts in the State within two years and setting up of a 'Knowledge Centre' in Bhubaneswar.
Shah further said that crime against women has increased many folds in Odisha and the party will ensure capital punishment for rape convicts.
The new Odisha will also be free of corruption and the party will end the evil of percentage commission (PC) culture in the State. 'Goondaraj' and mining mafia will be dealt with iron hand while a Special Investigation Team will probe the chit fund issue, he said.
Focusing on the farmers' issue in the State, the manifesto promises development of irrigation facilities with a Rs 1 lakh crore fund, uninterrupted power supply of eight hours to farm lands, 1.5 time minimum support price (MSP) for all agricultural produce and benefits of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana to eligible farmers.
The BJP manifesto also ensures land patta and pucca houses to all by 2022, electricity and piped water connection to every house, review of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar to metro train project, 15 ports and railway line connectivity to all the 30 districts in the State.