Promise for promise,BJP and Cong echo each other

The Rs 2,000 per quintal announced by the Congress is meant to be the procurement price. What the BJP promises,on the other hand,is to take initiatives to make it Rs 2,100. It announces Rs 300 per quintal as bonus. At present,the state procures rice at Rs 1,310 per quintal,the price decided by the Centre,and provides an additional Rs 270 as bonus.

Again,the Congress had announced 35 kg rice free to all families except taxpayees,while Chief Minister Raman Singh emphasised: We do not want to give it free.

The BJP had been scheduled to release its manifesto Tuesday but postponed it after the Congress brought out its programme. Released by Singh and PWD Minister Brijmohan Agarwal just five days before the polls,the BJPs manifesto takes off from the emphasis on rice procurement and subsidised rice that had won them the 2008 polls,as its introductory chapter notes that the scheme that began with providing rice to 32 lakh families at Rs 3 per kg has now the extended to 42 lakh families. The manifesto then announces Rs 1 per kg rice for all 42 lakh poor families and promises it will procure ek-ek dana dhaan,or every single rice grain,from farmers.

The emphasis on rice procurement at such a high rate and providing subsidised grains has earned criticism with economists saying it would put a burden on the exchequer. While the Congress makes only tall and empty promises,ours are concrete and achievable, Agarwal said.

Many promises by the BJP,however,could challenge the government if it seeks to achieve them in five years. It promises to connect Chhattisgarh with a WiFi network and create Oxy-zones in all cities. In a move that may invite criticism from the industry,the Singh government promises to reserve 90 per cent jobs for locals in all industries and private companies and enact a law to this effect.

The BJP also promises to get special status for the state.

Interestingly,the BJP manifesto echoes the Congress one on some schemes,including free 5hp electricity to farmers,preservation of tribal languages,filling vacancies of all departments,a corporation for the development of backward classes and Chhattisgarh Film Development Corporation. The Congress has stolen our programme, said Agarwal.

Other major promises include free laptops and tablets to students as they enter college,a Metro and a monorail from Raipur to Rajnandgaon and Raipur to Bilaspur,and loans at three per cent to the educated unemployed. For women,a Noni Suraksha Yojana will be launched under which a fixed amount will be deposited by the government for every newborn girl. She will get Rs 1 lakh when she attains maturity.

For agriculture,the BJP has announced interest-free loans to farmers,as well as hundred per cent insurance for landless labourers,besides promising initiatives to make Chhattisgarh the agriculture capital of the country,and making it a milk-surplus state.

To woo Muslims,the BJP government has promised major schemes including modern education in and computerisation of madrasas. For BPL Muslims,the ruling party has promised easy loans for establishing industrial units.

Promises

RICE

Initiatives to procure rice at Rs 2,100 per quintal

(Congress announced Rs 2,000 as procurement price)

Rs 1 per kg rice to all 42 lakh poor families. Earlier only Antyodaya families were given rice at this rate,priority households at Rs 2 a kg.

(Congress promised free 35 kg rice to all APL and BPL families,except those who pay tax)

COMMON WITH CONGRESS

Free 5hp electricity to farmers

Preservation of tribal languages

Vacancies in all govt departments to be filled

A corporation for development of backward classes

Chhattisgarh Film Development Corporation

Interest-free loans to all farmers (Congress promised interest-free loan to marginal and small farmers)

PLUS…

Smart card insurance up from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 per year

Awards every year from schools to grandparents of all students

old-age pension to be doubled WiFi network,oxy-zones in all cities

Laptops and tablets to students when they enter college Initiatives to make Chhattisgarh the agriculture capital of the country

Malnutrition-free Chhattisgarh

English-medium schools at all 146 block headquarters