Our Correspondent
Imphal, Feb. 17 (EMN): With just 11 days to go for the Manipur Assembly elections, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its manifesto called ‘Manipur Manifesto 2022’ on Thursday.
The BJP national president JP Nadda accompanied by Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and BJP Manipur chief A Sharda Devi jointly released the manifesto.
Speaking at the function, JP Nadda said that the manifesto is ‘not a piece of paper ‘but the commitment of the Bharatiya Janata Party’ for the next five years in Manipur.
Stating that due consultation and interaction with all the 60 constituencies were held apart from collecting 1.2 lakh aspirations, he said adding that discussions took place with all the communities and all sections of the society.
Claiming that the state has seen a sea of changes in the last five years under the leadership of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Nadda admitted that Manipur has undergone a change from ‘instability to stability and from stability to a big leap’.
“Today it is good governance which is ruling Manipur state. The state was known for blockades and bandhs, now it is known for development, peace, prosperity and coming forward,” he added.
In his speech, Biren also said that the manifesto is a first of its kind in the state considering the process of its formulation. Thanking the national party leaders for making it, he said that they’re focusing on peace and development.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs Dr. RK Ranjan Singh, who is the chairman of the manifesto committee, and Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba were also present during the manifesto releasing function in Imphal.
The 30-page ‘Manipur Manifesto 2022’, which has 20-point highlights in a separate two-page leaflet, promises to protect territorial integrity and preservation of rights of the indigenous people of Manipur and its rich cultural heritage.
Unlike other political parties’ manifestos, which promise to remove Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from the state once they come to power, the BJP manifesto remained silent on it.
Otherwise, the manifesto promises two-free LPG cylinders to all the PM Ujjwala beneficiaries annually, free scooty to all meritorious college going girls, an incentive of INR 25,000 for girls from economically weaker and backward sections, free laptops to all meritorious students passing class 12, and free of cost accidental insurance cover of upto INR 5 lakh for fishermen.
The manifesto also promises to establish Manipur Skill University, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, 100 percent coverages of health schemes (Ayushman Bharat and CMHT-a state scheme)to provide health insurance of INR 5 lakh to eligible beneficiaries, to expand the initiatives like Go to Village and Go to Hills for doorstep delivery of government schemes.
Other interesting promises include interest-free loans for micro, small and medium enterprises, FO-FO train (Follow Foothills train)a peripheral rail network along foothills to boost tourism and Loktak mega eco-tourism project to promote tourism.
Polling to 60 assembly constituencies of Manipur will take place on February 28 and March 5.