Excelsior Correspondent
DHARAMSHALA (HP), Nov 7: Holding the first Press Conference after the release of BJP’s election manifesto by its National President J P Nadda yesterday, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said, the BJP Government’s top priority in Himachal Pradesh in the next 5 year term will be women centric reforms and schemes. In addition, youth employment, StartUps and farmers will be the party’s main priorities, he added.
He said, BJP has a proven record of having fulfilled every promise made in each manifesto and those who mocked us for including abrogation of article 370 and Ram Mandir in our manifestos are also now compelled to believe that the BJP leadership fulfils each of its commitment at appropriate time and therefore the people trust us.
Dr Jitendra Singh accused the Congress Governments in Himachal Pradesh of promoting their families and dynasties which resulted in perpetual neglect of women, youth, farmers and other sections of society. He said, while the Congress govt only gave preference to the empowerment and benefits of the members of the ruling families, the BJP government is reaching out to those who did not receive attention during the Congress rule.
Referring to BJP’s Manifesto “Sankalp Patra 2022” Dr Jitendra Singh told the journalists that 11 promises made in the manifesto as “Stree Shakti Sankalp” will not only give huge empowerment to women in the State but will also make them self-reliant (Atmanirbhar) and give them much needed dignity with security and financial independence.
He said, the schemes like providing a bicycle for school-going girls of class 6th to 12th and a scooty (two-wheeler) to the girls pursuing higher education, three free LPG cylinders to women of poor households, amount of Rs 25,000 to pregnant women for treatment are some of the steps which will make women independent, confident and secure. He said, a fund with a corpus of Rs 500 crores for granting interest-free loans to women entrepreneurs to establish homestays will be created and the women will be provided 33% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions of the state.
Referring to the Party Manifesto released by BJP President J.P.Nadda, Dr Jitendra Singh said, makes a prominent mention of StartUps. Eight lakh employment opportunities in a phased manner will be provided to the youth of the State and the announcement of StartUp scheme with a corpus of Rs 900 crores will supplement livelihood opportunities. He said, this is also vindication of the fact that PM Modi believes in technology driven livelihood opportunities.
Dr Jitendra Singh, welfare of the farmers was the topmost priority of the Modi Government and therefore BJP promised to institute in Himachal Pradesh a scheme to provide Rs 3,000 annually to small farmers, over and above the Rs 6,000 given through ‘PM Kisan Samman Nidhi’. Also, it will be ensured that the apple farmers do not pay more than 12% GST rate on apple packaging material, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh also apprised the Journalists that though PM Modi took charge in May, 2014, but most of the Central Schemes got speeded up after Jairam Thakur became the Chief Minister in December 2017. Citing the example of “Double Engine” working, the Minister said the BJP government in the State carried forward Modi’s scheme Ayushman Bharat in the State for which over 4 lakh people have got registered while the State government supplemented it with ‘Him Care’ scheme which has so far registered 5 lakh people. Similarly, Modi’s Ujjwala scheme reached 1.37 lakh people in the State while Mukhyamantri Grahni Yojana supplemented it by reaching 3 lakh households, he said.
On the questions of rebel candidates of BJP fighting election, Dr Jitendra Singh said, those who say so are possibly not aware of BJP’s working and its tradition as it is a cadre-based party, not controlled by any dynasty and here every Karyakarta is equal, which is why, whenever there is an election at any level, whether it is Panchayat or Legislative Assembly or Lok Sabha and whichever be the State, all the members of the party from top to bottom collectively join the campaign.
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