AGARTALA: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tripura on Thursday promised greater autonomy for tribal areas, financial assistance for the birth of a girl child, increase in monetary assistance for farmers and industry-specific manufacturing zone, if it is voted to power for the second consecutive term.
Polling for the 60-member legislative assembly in Tripura will be held on February 16 while the votes will be counted on March 2.
Releasing the poll manifesto in Agartala, BJP national president JP Nadda said: “When other parties release their manifesto, their party workers don’t take it seriously. But when the BJP comes with Sankalp Patra or vision document, it is not just some words on a piece of paper. It is our commitment towards the people. It’s a roadmap for BJP’s governance.”
The BJP manifesto — titled ‘Sankalp Patra’ — promised to provide ₹50,000 to each economically weaker section (EWS) family under the Balika Somriddhi Scheme for the birth of a girl child. It also promised smartphones to 50,000 “meritorious” college-going students and free two-wheelers (scooty) to “meritorious” college-going girls.
As part of its tribal outreach, the BJP also promised to provide greater autonomy to Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) with additional legislative, executive, administrative and financial powers, besides annual financial assistance of ₹5,000 to each tribal family. It also promised to set up a tribal university and performing arts academy besides adding the tribal language Kokborok as subjects in CBSE and ICSE curricula, if the BJP wins the assembly elections.
Nadda also announced a ₹5 meal scheme for all, named after religious guru Anukul Chandra, and setting up a Regional Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in Agartala. “We will take Tripura on the path of DTH — development, transformation and harmony,” the BJP chief said.
“Before 2018, there was a levy rule of the CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) and we got rid of it. Ever since the levy rule was rolled back, Tripura has emerged as the gateway to development, peace, harmony, progress, and prosperity,” he added.
Chief minister Manik Saha was also present at the event to release the BJP manifesto at the Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhawan in the state capital.
“We will set up industry-specific manufacturing zones based on rubber, Agar and bamboo,” Nadda said. “The PM Kisan Samman Nidhi of ₹6,000 will be raised with the state government providing ₹2,000 more.”
It also promised to launch a pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens, under which special packages will be provided for travel to Ayodhya, Varanasi, Gorakhnath in Uttar Pradesh, Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh and Deoghar in Jharkhand.
CPI(M) leader and former minister Pabitra Kar said, “ The BJP lost its faith already for not fulfilling their promises made before coming to power in 2018. We believe it will not impact our vote bank.”