On Sunday (14th April), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its 69-page manifesto [pdf] for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, which are scheduled to commence on 19th April this year.
Unlike the manifestos of the Congress party and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the BJP laid out a clear vision to take the nation forward on the path of progress and development.
While steering away from appeasement politics, the saffron party emphasised its plans to build large-scale infrastructure and revolutionise manufacturing, agriculture and healthcare.
The BJP's Sankalp Patra provides a comprehensive overview of the NDA Government's achievements and charts the vision for building a Viksit Bharat by 2047.https://t.co/RwlzXLoxIj
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 14, 2024
Support for India’s poor
At the very onset, the BJP promised to continue to provide food security for over 80 crore Indian citizens. On page 11 of its manifesto, it stated, “We have provided free ration to 80+ crore citizens since 2020. We will continue to provide free ration for the next five years under PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.”
The party assured to continue its scheme (Ayushman Bharat) of providing free health treatment up to ₹5 lakh to poor families. Additionally, BJP has promised to expand the scheme to cover senior citizens (page 20 of the manifesto) and transgenders (page 34 of the manifesto).
It has also vowed to extend the PM Awas Yojana (affordable housing for all) from the existing 4 crore beneficiaries to all the poor families (garib parivar) who still do not have access to quality housing. (Page 12 of the manifesto).
A special emphasis has also been laid on the ‘Har Ghar Nal se Jal’ Yojana (piped drinking water for all), which aims to provide water to all houses in cities, towns and villages and prevent water wastage.
“We have empowered one crore rural women to become Lakhpati Didis. We will now empower three crore rural women to become Lakhpati Didis,” the BJP said on page 15 of its manifesto.
The party has also promised to create a digital university and provide industry-focused free courses that will help upskill low-income families (Page 59 of the manifesto)
Alleviating the distress of the middle class
“The last 10 years have seen a large number of families join the ranks of the neo-middle class due to a steady increase in the incomes of all citizens. It is our responsibility to help them grow further while giving them enough support to stabilise their standard of living,” Page 13 of the manifesto reads.
BJP has promised to strengthen the RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority) Act of 2016 and make the real estate sector further transparent and citizen-friendly. It has assured to help middle-class families realise the dream of owning a house through regulatory reforms and ease of registration and construction.
The saffron party has also vowed to help expand the startup ecosystem to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, promote quality education through the creation of new IITs, AIIMs and IIMS, and use technology to ensure ease of living for middle-class families. (Page 14 of the manifesto)
“We have provided subsidised medicines through Jan Aushadhi Kendras and also established 315 new medical colleges across the country. We will continue to expand these services for our middle-class families to ensure accessible high-quality healthcare services,” the BJP noted.
Empowering the youth of India
In its manifesto, the party has talked in detail about its vision to empower the youth of this country. “We have successfully established Bharat among the top 3 Startup Ecosystems through various interventions ranging from Atal Tinkering Labs, Hackathon, Startup India and Start-Up India Seed Fund,” Page 18 of the manifesto says.
The BJP has promised to ensure funding of startups through the expansion of the ‘Startup India Seed Fund Scheme’ and ‘Startup Credit Guarantee Scheme.’
To support the entrepreneurial spirit of India’s youth, the party has assured to expand financial credit schemes such as the Mudra loan limit (Tarun category) from ₹10 lakhs to ₹20 lakhs (applies to entrepreneurs who have successfully repaid previous loans).
Impetus on Education
The BJP has laid strong emphasis on the National Educational Policy, which was enacted in 2020 to provide quality education to children.
Page 60 of the manifesto reads, “For this, we will strengthen the network of PM SHRI Schools, Ekalavya Schools and other such schools as per NEP to make them world-class. We will work towards a 100% Gross Enrollment Ratio from pre-school to secondary level.”
“We will achieve 100% implementation of ‘One Nation, One Student ID’ through the AutomatedPermanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) to store academic qualifications, credit scores and certificates, among others for students from pre-primary to higher education,” it further added.
On Page 57 of the manifesto, it assured to increase the number of AIIMS and medical colleges, besides enhancing the seats for Undergraduate and Postgraduate medical education.
Support for the farmers
The BJP has dedicated four pages of its manifesto (Pages 22-25) to discussing ways to uplift the condition of farmers and revolutionising India’s agricultural sector.
This includes the promise of annual financial assistance of ₹6,000 (PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana), an increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for major crops, quicker redressal of grievances about crop insurance, strengthening natural farming and incentivising crop diversification.
The BJP is keen on positioning India as the ‘Nutri-hub of the world’, promoting the cultivation of millets (Shree Anna), expanding irrigation facilities for farmers (PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana), launching Krishi Infrastructure Mission, developing a network of grain storage facilities in rural areas, expanding access to nano urea and ensuring high-yielding seeds.
Strengthening MSMEs and small businesses
On Page 31 of its manifesto, the BJP announced, “We will encourage small traders and MSMEs to adopt ONDC and expand their businesses using the power of technology.”
“We will rejuvenate and reposition Khadi as a national and global brand for sustainable lifestyle and undertake structural reforms to achieve these objectives…We will transform Bharat into the global hub for toy manufacturing, leveraging our skilled workforce and rich cultural heritage to produce innovative and high-quality toys,” it further added.
The party has also promised to simplify access to the GST portal, launch insurance products for small and MSME traders, access to capital and reduction of compliances for such businesses.
“We will launch an initiative to foster balanced regional development across all districts of the country. Brand, promotion and exports of One District One Product (ODOP) products will be encouraged under the initiative,” it said on Page 43 of the manifesto.
Making India a global leader
Contrary to its rival Congress and CPIM, the BJP has laid out its vision to make India a global leader. “We are committed to seeking permanent membership in the UN Security Council to elevate Bharat’s position in global decision making,” reads Page 35 of the manifesto.
It has also assured to lead India in global fight against terrorism and terror financing. “We will continue our efforts to create a consensus among all members of the United Nations on the Comprehensive Convention against International Terrorism and other such efforts to combat terrorism,” the BJP announced.
“We will build upon the success of the ‘No Money for Terror’ conference to develop better coordination on countering terrorism financing,” it further added. The BJP has also vowed to lead India in global humanitarian assistance, build strategic partnerships and expand diplomatic relations with countries.
To reinforce India’s soft power in the world, the saffron party has reiterated its commitment to promote yoga and Ayurveda to the world. “The role of Bharat’s Digital Public Infrastructure in revolutionising public service delivery is appreciated all over the world. We will work towards sharing this technology with partner countries,” it added (Page 37 of the manifesto).
On Page 40 of its manifesto, the BJP stated that it would strive to make India the 3rd largest economy in the world through the implementation of the right policies, focused execution and meticulous planning.
Preserving India’s rich culture and heritage
In its manifesto, the BJP has also assured to preserve and promote India’s rich culture and heritage. We will relentlessly work towards bringing back Bharatiya idols and artefacts that were taken away illegally from Bharat,” the party stated.
Most importantly, it has vowed to promote the legacy of Lord Ram. “Ramayan is celebrated across the world, particularly in South and South-East Asia. We will launch a global outreach program for documenting and promoting the tangible and intangible legacy of Lord Ram
in all countries. We will celebrate Ramayan Utsav with great fervour across the globe to commemorate the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla,” the BJP announced.
On Page 52 of its manifesto, the party reiterated its commitment towards holistic development of Ayodhya, digitisation of Bharatiya manuscripts and establishment of Bharatiya Sanskriti Kosh.
“We will promote select destinations across Bharat as preferred venues to showcase the richness of Bharatiya weddings, highlighting the vibrant traditions, and supporting cultural exchanges,” the BJP added.
Upholding India’s sovereignty
The saffron party has declared that it will defend the interests of the nation from all threats of terror. “The Surgical Strikes of 2016 and the Air Strikes of 2019 are examples of our dedicated efforts towards countering terrorism. We are committed to defend Bharat’s citizens and interests at home and abroad from all threats of terrorism,” the BJP emphasised (Page 38 of the manifesto).
It has announced to further strengthen the country’s paramilitary forces to counter left-wing extremism. The BJP also said that it will ensure the implementation of the newly enacted Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) to ensure justice for citizens.
Page 63 of the manifesto reads, “We will continue our efforts to address the issues in the disturbed areas and remove AFSPA in a phased
manner. We will further work towards resolution of inter-state border disputes amongst Northeastern states through sustained efforts.”
Ensuring social justice
The BJP has reiterated its commitment to confer citizenship to persecuted religious minorities who have fled from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh and illegally staying in India on or before 31st December 2014.
“We have taken the historic step of enacting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and will implement it to confer citizenship to all eligible persons,” reads Page 39 of the manifesto. The party has vowed to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country and ensure social justice.
Page 54 of the manifesto clearly says, “BJP believes that there cannot be gender equality till such time Bharat adopts a Uniform Civil Code, which protects the rights of all women, and the BJP reiterates its stand to draw a Uniform Civil Code, drawing upon the best traditions and harmonising them with the modern times.”
Focus on development
On Page 45 of its manifesto, the BJP said that once it is elected to power, the design, manufacturing and installation of the indigenously developed Kavach Train Protection System will be expanded in a mission mode.
“We will strengthen the modern road connectivity ecosystem to 15,000 km of access-controlled highways. We will construct ring roads around major cities to improve mobility and decongest cities,” the party pointed out.
It has also unveiled plans to expand 5G networks, develop 6G technology, connect 2 lakh gram panchayats to BharatNet, make high-speed internet access for all (Page 48 of the manifesto) and position India as South Asia’s leading aviation ecosystem.
On Page 49 of the manifesto, the party stated, “We will achieve energy independence for Bharat by 2047 and reduce petroleum imports through a mix of electric mobility, network of charging stations, renewable energy production and improving energy efficiency.”
Creating a Vikshit Bharat
In its manifesto, the BJP also laid out ambitious plans to realise the dream of ‘Vikshit Bharat’ by 2047. The plans include setting up a committee to turn ‘One Nation, One Election’ into reality (Page 55 of the manifesto).
The party has also highlighted its intention to host the 2036 Olympic Games in India and develop necessary infrastructure to host major sporting events. (Page 61 of the manifesto)
Other promises include the launch of Gaganyaan (human spaceflight mission), the establishment of Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS), creation of an Anusandhan Fund with ₹1 lakh crore to promote scientific research.
On page 67 of the manifesto, the party has made it clear that it will increase the share of electricity generation from non-fossil fuel sources and reach net zero emissions by 2070.
BJP is also planning to revitalise the country’s rivers and initiate a National Clean Air Program to reduce air pollution across 131 cities.
Through its manifesto, the party has successfully reached out to all sections of society with a vision to take the country on a path of economic progress and development.
