BJP’s manifesto for Telangana dodges anti-freebies policy, promises several sops

BJP: Guarantee pro-farmer measures, free LPG, laptops for girls, probe into irregularities, ₹3,100/quintal MSP, free health treatment, Hyderabad Liberation Day, Martyrs Commemoration Day.

After the Congress guarantees and KCR (BRS) Bharosa, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released its manifesto for Telangana Assembly elections in the name of “Sakala Janula Saubhagya Telangana – PM Modi’s Guarantee” with about 25 issues mainly divided into 10 broad features (areas).

Releasing the 48-page document here on Saturday evening, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that if voted to power the party government would order a probe into all irregularities and scams the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government committed in the execution of projects and implementation of programmes and schemes with a retired judge of the Supreme Court and it would include the Dharani portal too.

Perhaps moving away from its policy of freebies, the BJP manifesto talks about several pro-farmers measures free of cost, including the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), the crop insurance scheme, input assistance of ₹2,500 per acre to small and marginal farmers, in addition to the PM-Kisan given at ₹6,000 per farmer every year and ₹18,000 per acre fertilizer subsidy.

Mr. Shah announced that the BJP government would provide ₹3,100 per quintal MSP (minimum support price) to paddy and also procure parboiled rice, supply of indigenous breed of cows to farmers free of cost and market intervention fund for turmeric, development of turmeric city in Nizamabad district in addition to setting up the Turmeric Board as already announced.

For women, the party has promised to offer four domestic LPG cylinders a year free of cost, fixed deposit in the name of newborn baby girls so that they could get ₹2 lakh after attaining 21 years of age, supply of laptops to girls students in degree and professional colleges free of cost.

The BJP manifesto offers conducting TSPSC recruitment tests in a transparent manner every six months to fill 2.5 lakh government posts in 5 years, free health treatment up to ₹10 lakh to the poor in private hospitals too, revival of Nizam Sugar Factory, review of Kaleshwaram project, presenting a strong case before KWDT-II for getting the rightful share in Krishna waters and reimbursement of income tax to Singareni Collieries employees.

Further, Mr. Shah announced that the BJP would celebrate Hyderabad Liberation Day on September 17 and Martyrs Commemoration Day on August 27 every year in the memory of Byranpally massacre by the Razakars. A museum and a memorial would also be established with documentation on the excesses of the Nizam government and Razakars army.