By Admin 
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday released the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) manifesto for the Assam Assembly elections, in which it has promised to protect the land, heritage and honor of the indigenous people and invest Rs 5 lakh crore for infrastructure.
BJP’s ‘Sankalp Patra’ makes 31 promises, which include taking back the land encroached by “Bangladeshi Miyan”, implementing Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and creating employment opportunities for the youth.
The manifesto promises to protect the land, heritage and dignity of the original inhabitants of Assam by expediting the process of identifying and deporting illegal immigrants by invoking the Immigrants (Removal from Assam) Act, 1950.
The BJP also promised that it will strengthen the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and laws to protect the civilization, heritage and rights of the people of Assam, except in tribal areas, by implementing a Uniform Civil Code to ensure the rights of ethnic communities.
Under the ‘Mission Vasundhara’ scheme, the party has promised to “remove every encroachment by illegal immigrants and give land rights to the genuine citizens of Assam”.
The manifesto also assures that if BJP forms the government again in Assam, the encroached land of Satras, Namghars, Devalayas and other places of worship will be freed.
According to the manifesto, the party will make effective laws to end the problem of ‘Love Jihad’ and take strict steps to deal with ‘Land Jihad’.
The party promised to invest Rs 5 lakh crore under the Assam Gati Shakti Master Plan to make Assam the “eastern gateway” of India, ensuring timely implementation of road, air, waterways and rail projects.
The BJP also promised to put pressure on the central government to implement the GOM (Group of Ministers) recommendation to include six communities – Koch Rajbongshi, Tai Ahom, tribal and tea tribes, Chutia, Moran and Matak – in the schedule. Also assured to protect the constitutional, social and economic rights of the existing Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities.
The BJP also resolved to urge the Center to consider including seven communities – Bishnupriya Manipuri, Bhar or Rajbhar, Newar, Bhujel, Sabar, Satnami and Kiran Shaikh – in the central list of Other Backward Classes in line with their existing recognition in the state OBC list.
It also promised to work towards granting constitutional status to the autonomous councils of the Missing, Rabha, Sonowal Kachari, Thengal Kachari, Deori, Tiwa and Boro Kachari tribes.
The party also assured inclusive development and land security for tribal and indigenous communities by protecting tribal areas and blocks and implementing the Forest Rights Act, 2006 in letter and spirit.
The BJP promised to ensure holistic development of tea garden tribal communities by providing land leases to all eligible tea garden families, ensuring houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, providing Rs 75,000 for repairs and maintenance to land lease beneficiaries with existing houses and ensuring wage increase in a phased manner.
The party also promised to set up a committee to assess wage structures and ensure wage increases, implement the ‘Pradhan Mantri Cha Shramik Protsahan Yojana’ and take steps to promote traditional, distinctive and aromatic teas to capture global markets and ensure stable prices for purchased leaves.
Also, it promised that ‘Flood Free Assam Mission’ will be launched with an investment of over Rs 18,000 crore to make the state flood free.
BJP promised to provide two lakh government jobs and create more entrepreneurship opportunities through various schemes. He also promised to increase the financial benefit to women beneficiaries under the ‘Arunodoi’ scheme from the current Rs 1,250 to Rs 3,000 in a phased manner.
In the health sector, the party will invest Rs 50,000 crore to make Assam India’s leading hub for world-class health infrastructure and advanced cancer treatment through proton therapy.
BJP promised to launch ‘One District, One University’ initiative and ensure wide coverage of medical and engineering colleges in each district to enhance the quality of higher education in Assam.
The party has also resolved to strengthen the income security of farmers by expanding the scope of ‘Mukhyamantri Krishi Sa Sajuli Yojana’ to PM-Kisan beneficiaries, which will ensure annual assistance of Rs 11,000 to each eligible small and marginal farmer.
BJP will also launch ‘Assam Krishi Unnayan Abhiyaan’ to modernize and strengthen agricultural market infrastructure and supply chain management.
BJP said the party aims to double the economy to US$150 billion by 2031 and expand it to US$300 billion by 2036.
During this, Sitharaman said that this manifesto is based on “a decade of transformation of the state, which the Congress could not achieve in 60 years.” She alleged that the Congress had no focus on the long-term development of the Northeast.
Sitharaman claimed that there was massive development in the state during the BJP government and many young Assamese have started leaving jobs abroad and returning to Assam “not out of compulsion, but out of opportunity”.
Read also
West Bengal Opinion Poll: How many seats can BJP get? What percentage of people want Mamata Banerjee as CM, the estimate of pre poll survey is shocking