Arunachal: BJP releases manifesto for assembly polls

Itanagar: The state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday e-launched its much-anticipated manifesto for the ensuing assembly elections with special emphasis on health, education, water, electricity, connectivity and security.

Arunachal goes to simultaneously polls for the 60-member assembly and two Parliamentary seats on April 11. The saffron party has already won three assembly seats in the state uncontested.

In a move to lure the voters the BJP has promised to give full efforts to make Arunachal the happiest state of India.

Listed below are some of the promises the party has made in the document.

Health: The party promises to provide best health facilities to every citizen of state and convert the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) days of health infrastructure into modern day infrastructure in a phased manner. It also promises that all sub-centers and primary health centers would be transformed into health and wellness centers and adequate manpower with modern infrastructure would also be provided in those centres.

Setting up of advanced blood bank facilities in all district hospitals, starting of trauma care centers, health assurance, strengthening of the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences by increasing number of seats and starting post graduate level courses, promotion of indigenous and folk medicine etc are the other pledges given by the party.

Education: Complete overhaul of the existing education system to provide quality education, conversion of all NEFA day buildings into modern infrastructure in a phased manner, pre-primary education in all primary schools, strengthening of pre-elementary education by building playschools along with the Anganwadi centers are some of the points the BJP promises to look in to if voted to power.

The party promises that distribution of free uniforms and textbooks would be extended for Classes 9 to 12 with provision for school bags and shoes to all students. It also assured to strengthen the existing Model Residential School with a state of the art infrastructure.

The party also assures to pay stipends and scholarships of students, salaries of teachers on a direct benefit transfer mode and give away maternity leave for eligible contractual teachers under ISSE.

In terms of regularisation of contractual teachers under ISSE (including vocational teachers), the BJP said the process has already started and promises that it would also be completed in a phased manner.

For higher education, the party assures that banks loans, with the government standing as a guarantor would be provided to the students who would look to pursue a degree/diploma course after finishing Class 12 from any school of State.

The party also promises to assist the UPSC and APPSC aspirants who clear their prelims in their preparation by providing monthly financial stipend for their living expenses and books.

Water: Besides assuring to provide piped water which is safe and potable to each household by 2022, the BJP promises to prepare a comprehensive plan to fight the menace of floods each year.

Electricity: The BJP promises to make Arunachal an energy self-reliant state by strengthen transmission lines and reducing losses during transmission and distribution.

Promises like commissioning of 600 MW Kameng hydro electric power plant, initiation of steps to make the 2000 MW Lower Subansiri hydro electric power plant operational, focus on small hydel projects, developing and implementing a comprehensive policy to harness solar and wind energy and provision of street lighting in all district headquarters have also made to the party’s election manifesto.

Connectivity and Infrastructure: While stating that the state is best connected to other parts of India because all its citizens speak Hindi, the BJP promises to connect Arunachal with other parts of the country through better highways, airways, railways, waterways, and I-way.

For highway connectivity, the party assures to build infrastructure for last mile connectivity and pledged that all villages would be connected with roads.

Arunachal is a border state therefore developing border area infrastructure will be a priority. The Trans Arunachal Highway will be completed and connect all district headquarters and the East- West Industrial Corridor road project would be initiated to connect all foothill industry potential areas. Tender process for the Frontier Highway project has been approved and steps will be taken to complete it, the party assure in its manifesto.

The BJP also promises to make connectivity between Naharlagun and Itanagar easier by eliminating congestion, traffic jam and reducing the travel time.

The four-laning of the National Highway from Hollongi to Banderdewa will be completed and so will the Sela Tunnel, the party promises.

For air connectivity the BJP promises that the Greenfield Airport at Hollongi would be made operational and frequency of flights from Pasighat and Tezu would be increased.

Expansion of existing railways network in the State, Rajdhani services from Naharlagun to Delhi and increasing the frequency of Shatabdi Express are the promises made in regards to railway connectivity by the saffron party.

The BJP also assures to develop Inland Waterways on suitable river systems to boost tourism and industry, phone network in all areas of state and provide internet connectivity up to each Panchayat level.

Security: Housing to all by 2022, every citizen to be covered under Banking Network by 2020, creation of a social security net for the elderly, widows and our differently abled population, creation of social security for unorganised labours have made to the party’s promise list under security.

Besides this the BJP assures to work towards doubling the farmer income, promotion of horticulture, floriculture, dairy, pisciculture and sericulture activities and also take steps to get Organic State certification for Arunachal Pradesh.

Creation of research centres for bamboo, honey, medicinal plants and orchid would also be strengthened, the BJP promises.

For the womenfolk, the BJP assures to increase the deposit amount under ‘Dulari-Kanya Yojna’ from Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000, come up with a comprehensive scheme to encourage positive attitude amongst families towards the girl child, focus on improving women healthcare, support and strictly implement laws for tape, indecent assault against women and acts of domestic violence.

Law and Order: Promising to make Arunachal crime and corruption free, the BJP pledges to strengthen law and order, modernize police forces, repeal all old and obsolete laws and educate the citizens about the laws and make the state drug free.

It also assures that the BJP government is committed to implement its policy of “Zero Tolerance against Corruption” and strict action would be taken against any individual/organization found to be indulged in corruption.

For youths the BJP promises that its government will form a state where youths are not job seekers but job givers by introducing new Start-up and Skill Arunachal policy.

Protection of forests and environment, promotion of tourism and tribal languages, preservation of state’s culture and heritage, digitization of archives for archeological and museum records, creation of tribal research institute are the other promises made by the BJP.