Odisha Polls: BJD Releases Manifesto, Promises To Spend Rs 1 Lakh Crore For Youths In 10 Years

Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha on Thursday released its manifesto for 2024 elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly.

Announcing the manifesto in a video release, Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik said the BJD government has brought major transformation in the state during its 24-year tenure. “Today’s Odisha is a modern Odisha. At the same time, it remains rooted to its glorious culture and traditions,” he said.

Despite being ravaged by successive natural disasters, Odisha has come out of the backward and poor status to emerge as a fast developing state. “The manifesto has laid foundation stone for a golden era of the state for next 10 years. We have prepared the roadmap in the manifesto to make Odisha number one state in the country by 2034, two years before the state celebrates centenary of its formation,” he said.

Naveen said since the youths will play a pivotal role in development of the state, this manifesto is mostly meant for them and their future. “We will bring a separate budget for the youths, called “Yuva Budget”. It will be first such budget of any state in the country,” he added.

As per the manifesto, the government will spend around Rs 1 lakh crore under the Yuva Budget in next 10 years. Besides, the party has promised annual Nua O scholarship of Rs 14,000 for girls and Rs 12,000 for boys. Around 2 lakh government jobs will be created.

Naveen also announced free electricity supply for the consumers using less than 1oo units per month and 50 units free for those consuming 150 units. Around 90% of families in the state would benefit from this, he added.

The Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) will cover more beneficiaries. It will include middle class, government servants, contractual workers, and grassroot community staff.

Stating that women play a major role in development of the state, Naveen said, “The BJD promises to provide Rs 1.5 lakh crore loan to women entrepreneurs in next 5 years. The state government will provide loan subsidy of Rs 2,500 crore.”

Similarly, government business worth Rs 50,000 crore will be provided to members of Mission Shakti in next 10 years. Loan upto Rs 15 lakh will be provided free of interest to them and pension benefits extended. A corpus fund of Rs 100 crore will be created to help the women become entrepreneurs.

The government will also spend Rs 1,000 crore to help young boys and girls of SC, ST and OBC establish entrepreneurship. Entrepreneur loan upto Rs 10 lakh will be provided to them free of cost.

Following are other major points of the manifesto:

• All eligible persons in rural areas will be provided pucca houses. Around 10 lakh houses will be constructed in next 5 years.
• Free electricity to the farmers and interest-free crop loan upto Rs 1.5 lakh
• Fishermen to be provided Rs 15,000 during fishing ban period
• Rs 100 crore fund for promotion of Odia language. A centre of excellence will be set up in Sambalpur University for promotion of western Odisha languages.