Jammu: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday unveiled the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) poll manifesto for Jammu and Kashmir.
As per the news agency KNO, the manifesto called ‘Sankalp Patra’ (Resolution Paper) has attractive promises for the unemployed youth, women and farmers which include 5 lakh jobs, Rs 18000 per annum to women, increased reservations, financial aid for farmers, and infrastructure development.
The manifesto also pledges several welfare schemes. It promises ‘Maa Samman Yojana’ to give Rs 18,000 to the eldest lady of every family each year besides two free LPG cylinders under the Ujjwala scheme.
BJP promised 5 lakh employment opportunities will be created through Pandit Premnath Dogra Rozgar Yojana.
Under Pragati Shiksha Yojana, students will get Rs 3,000 per year, as a travelling allowance besides reimbursement of upto Rs 10,000 of coaching fee for JKPSC and UPSC aspirants; students in remote areas will also receive tablets or laptops.
It also promised a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for IT at Jammu City, an amusement park in Srinagar, and development of Gulmarg and Pahalgam as modern tourist destinations, development of Kishtwar, Rajouri, Udhampur and infrastructure development in the Union territory.
The party aims to develop the Tawi Riverfront in Jammu, modelled after Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront, and to promote water sports and tourism around Dal Lake in Srinagar.
For small traders and MSMEs, the BJP has pledged to resolve existing issues around land access, utility services, and lease deeds. These measures are expected to boost local businesses and support economic growth.
The manifesto promises relief from outstanding electricity and water bills, free electricity under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, and drinking water through the ‘Har Ghar Nal Se Jal’ scheme.
In addition, the BJP pledges to triple pensions for the elderly, widows, and the disabled, from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000, ensuring a life of dignity for vulnerable groups.
The BJP also aims to expand the Ayushman Bharat Sehat Scheme, increasing coverage by an additional Rs 2 lakhs, and promises to add 1,000 new medical seats to government colleges, reflecting its commitment to affordable healthcare.
The BJP has outlined various measures to support farmers, including increasing the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi payout by Rs 4,000, bringing the total annual benefit to Rs 10,000. Electricity tariffs for agricultural activities will be reduced by up to 50 percent.
The manifesto also talks of plans to build 10,000 kilometres of new rural roads under the ‘Har Tunnel Tez Pahal’ Yojana, improving connectivity in the region.
The BJP also promised the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits under the Tika Lal Taploo Visthapit Samaj Punarvas Yojana, while also expediting support for refugees from Pakistan-occupied-Jammu & Kashmir (POJK) and “internally neglected groups” like the Valmiki and Gorkha communities.
A concerted drive to remove illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi settlements from Jammu and Kashmir is another priority in BJP’s plan.
