Kolkata: BJP’s election manifesto for West Bengal assembly elections, released by Union Home Minister Amit Shah here on Sunday, laid special emphasis on welfare of women in the Trinamool Congress-ruled state.
The party’s ‘Sankalp Patra’ countered Trinamool’s manifesto, announced a few days earlier, by stating that the BJP, if voted to power in the state , will make education free for all females starting from KG to post-graduation level.
Travel in public transport will be free for all women across the state.
“We promise a safe Bengal, an appeasement-free Bengal, an infiltration-free Bengal… we will bring back the Bengal that made the entire nation proud,” Shah said.
Among a bouquet of other promises, BJP said it will increase widow pension from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000. It also plans to start nine female police battalion and three female police reserve battalion to ensure women’s security in West Bengal.
Reiterating its earlier promise, BJP says in the manifesto that CAA will be implemented and that refugees who have been staying in Bengal for 70 years will be granted citizenship.
Each refugee family will get Rs 10,000 per year for 5 years, Shah said.
The saffron party will raise ASHA workers’ basic pay to Rs 6,000, from Rs 4,500, and bring about a ‘milk revolution’ in the state whereby 5 mega milk-processing units will be formed.
Also, they will ensure employment to at least one person per family.
Elections in the first phase out of 8 will be held on March 27. The final round of voting will take place on April 29 and counting of votes will be on May 2.
