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Complete debt waiver for farmers with less than five acres of landholding, guaranteed minimum support price for fruits, vegetables, pulses, and oilseeds, dedicated annual budget of Rs 5,000 crore crop diversification, a similar amount for sustainable agriculture and organic farming, free rainwater harvesting units to check depleting water table and 300 units of free power to each household are among some of the promises that the BJP and allies PLC and SAD (Sanyukt) have made in their manifesto for the February 20 Punjab Assembly polls.
The allies also released an 11-point ‘Sankalp’ (commitments) document, especially for the rural areas of the state and advocated promotion of sports in villages while promised cash rewards to medal winners in international and national games on the lines of Haryana.
The Sankalp was released by Union Minister and BJP’s Punjab election in-charge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, SAD (Sanyukt) chief Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and BJP leaders Harjit Singh Grewal and Subhash Sharma.
The BJP is fighting the Punjab polls in alliance with former chief minister Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) and Dhindsa-led Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt).
Briefing the the media, Shekhawat termed the document as “a futuristic manifesto that is set to revolutionise the rural and agricultural economy in Punjab”.
The alliance promised that one lakh acres of Shamlat (common panchayat) land for rural landless farmers for cultivation and Rs 6,000 annual financial assistance for every landless farmer under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sanman Yojana.
Shekhawat said for ‘Sustainable Green Revolution’, and annual budget of Rs 5,000 crore will be sanctioned for sustainable agriculture and organic farming. Another Rs 5,000 crore will be earmarked for crop diversification. Besides, the alliance also promised “Mehnat Da Pakka Mull” under which the MSP for fruits, vegetables, pulses, and oilseeds will be guaranteed as part of the central government’s MSP extension programme.
To check depleting water table in the state, free of cost rainwater harvesting units will be installed and also subsidies will be given for alternative automated and smart irrigation systems which will help in water conservation. Further, said subsidy will be given to farmers for the installation of solar tubewells and solar panels on canals.
To promote dairy farming, an organised marketing system will be developed by establishing milk chilling centres in every village and processing units in a cluster of every 30 villages. Veterinary aid centres, artificial insemination and breeding centres will be established in every tehsil. The document promised that subsidies and loans will be provided to women and those belonging to Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and economically weaker sections to start businesses in dairy farming, poultry farming and beekeeping.
The manifesto promised subsidies to agro-based industries under the Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme. Tax-exempted agro-based industrial clusters comprising small and medium enterprises shall be formed to attract investment in rural areas.
To promote rural entrepreneurship, a “Samriddh-Pind” scheme will be launched and funds allocated annually to promote startups. To promote MSMEs, interest and collateral-free loans will be given to the rural youth with an easy payback mechanism. The document also promised each village an Aarogya Kendra (clinics) with 24×7 doctor facility and laboratory, in which all kinds of tests can be done. Availability of “108 ambulance” service will be ensured in all rural areas within 15 minutes.
All villages will have a 24X7 power supply and the government will provide free electricity up to 300 units to each household and above it, the tariff will be Rs 3 per unit for domestic purposes.
High-quality smart schools will be set up in the villages and annual stipend will be given to EWS, handicapped students and all girls belonging to Scheduled Caste till Class 10.
Playgrounds will be developed at the village level to encourage youngsters to participate in sports. Sports kits will be given free of cost to all the registered sports clubs and government schools. World class facilities will be provided for grooming international level hockey players. Kabaddi will be encouraged through rural tournaments. Amount of cash rewards given to medal winners in the international and national games will be revised on the lines of Haryana.
Clinic in every village, quantum jump in sporting glory rewards
– Entire debt waiver for farmers with less than 5 acres
– Guaranteed MSP for fruits, vegetables, pulses, and oilseeds
– Dedicated annual budget of Rs 5,000 crore for agriculture
– One lakh acres of ‘Shamlat Land’ to be allocated to rural landless farmers for cultivation
– Every landless farmer to get an annual financial assistance of Rs 6000
– An annual budget of Rs. 5000 crore to support sustainable agriculture and organic farming.
– Free of cost rainwater harvesting units will be installed.
– Milk chilling centres in every village, milk processing units in a cluster of every 30 village
– Veterinary aid centres, artificial insemination and breeding centres in every tehsil.
– Interest and collateral-free loans to rural youth with an easy payback mechanism.
– Each village to have Aarogya Kendras (clinics) with 24×7 doctor facility and laboratory.
– Permanent homes for all economically weaker sections of the society.
– Free electricity up to 300 units to each household, after that Rs 3 per unit for domestic purposes.
– Annual stipend to EWS and handicapped students and all girls belonging to Scheduled Caste till Class 10.
– Sports kits to be given free of cost to all the registered sports clubs and government schools.
– Amount of cash rewards given to medal winners in international and national games to be revised on the lines of Haryana.
– Gold Medal winners in Olympics/Paralympics to get Rs 6 crore, silver medalists Rs 4 crore, bronze medalists Rs 2.5 crore; those participating in these events to get Rs 15 lakh.
– For the Asian/ Para Asian Games it will be Rs 3 crore, Rs 1.5 crore, Rs 75 lakh and Rs 7.5 lakh for gold, silver, bronze medal and participation, respectively.
– For Commonwealth Games/ Para Commonwealth it will be Rs 1.5 crore, Rs 75 lakh, Rs 50 lakh, and Rs 7.5 lakh for gold, silver, bronze medals and participation, respectively.
– For World Cup/Para World Cup events held once in 4 years, the prize money will be Rs 1.5 crore, Rs 75 lakh, Rs 50 lakh, and Rs 7.5 lakh for gold, silver, bronze and participation, respectively.
– For National Games/ Para National Games the prize money for gold, silver and bronze medals will be Rs 5 lakh, Rs 3 lakh, and Rs 2 lakh respectively, while for the state level games it will be Rs 21,000, Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000, respectively for the gold, silver, and bronze medals.
