Punjab polls: BJP promises 75% quota to youth in govt jobs in manifesto

Feb 13,2022

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA released its manifesto for the February 20 Punjab assembly polls here on Saturday, promising a slew of sops for various sections, including 75% reservation in all government jobs for youngsters from the state, an unemployment allowance, 35% reservation for women in government jobs and massive infrastructure development.

The manifesto also promises 50% reservation in private jobs for the youngsters of Punjab. The BJP-JJP government in neighbouring Haryana had earlier passed a law giving 75% quota in private sector jobs to youngsters domiciled in the state. The, Punjab and Haryana high court, however, has granted a stay on the law.

The BJP manifesto for the Punjab polls says a dope test will be mandatory before filing nominations for elections.

An unemployment allowance of ₹4,000 per month will be given to all graduates for two years after the completion of their degrees, it says.

The manifesto promises 35% reservation for women in all government jobs, including contractual ones.

It also says fast-track courts will be established to deal with any kind of violence, harassment and oppression against women. A special law will be enacted to deal with the cases of brides abandoned by NRI grooms, the manifesto says.

The BJP is contesting the Punjab polls in an alliance with former chief minister Amarinder Singh’s Punjab Lok Congress and the Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt).

The “Sankalp” document of the saffron party was released in the presence of Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Som Parkash, BJP leaders Dushyant Gautam and Tarun Chugh and Amarinder Singh’s son Raninder Singh, among others.

The BJP-led alliance had earlier released an 11-point “Sankalp” (pledge or commitment) document and another manifesto for the rural areas, which had promised a complete loan waiver for farmers with less than five acres of land-holding.

Puri said the saffron party plans to revive Punjab’s economy with an infrastructure development fund of ₹1 lakh crore, which will be spent over a period of five years.

The party promised “zero tolerance to sacrilege”, saying fast-track courts will be set up to decide such cases in a time-bound manner.

A “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” will be constituted for addressing the grievances of the families affected by terrorism, who have been ignored by successive regimes for the last three decades, and a compensation of ₹5 lakh will be given to each family, the party said.

The manifesto promises stringent laws to disrupt the drug-supply chain in the state and the setting up of a special drug prevention task force in each district. It also says fast-track courts will be set up to expedite the investigation of drugs-related offences.

The manifesto talks about a ₹5,000 crore commitment for MSP and crop diversification.

It says special incentives will be provided for the revival of the medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs), including electricity at ₹4 per unit to such units and at ₹5 per unit to all other industries. Free electricity up to 300 units will be provided to each and every household and the tariff after the consumption of 300 units will be ₹3 per unit.

The party promised that the honorarium for anganwadi workers and accredited social health activists will be increased to ₹10,000 per month and ₹6,000 per month respectively.

Free hostel facilities will be provided to the SC students undergoing graduation and post-graduation courses. Funds will be provided from the state budget for the payment of the post-matric scholarship dues to SC students. A scholarship of ₹2,000 per month will be given to all the meritorious students. Guru kripa canteens will be established across the state to provide nutritious meals for ₹5, the BJP promised in its manifesto. The manifesto promised a medical insurance policy for providing free medical treatment to journalists and their families. “Media personnel will be exempted from toll tax”, the saffron party said in its manifesto.