The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda on Sunday promised to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and introduce 33 per cent reservation for women in government jobs for women in Himachal Pradesh if the party returns to power in the upcoming assembly elections.
Releasing the BJP manifesto for Himachal polls, Nadda further announced the party would create 8 lakh jobs, set up five new medical colleges, introduce mobile health clinics, and distribute cycles and scooties to female students.
The BJP manifesto also promised to resolve irregularities in the salaries of government employees. Notably, the Opposition Congress has made the re-introduction of Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees a major issue of their electoral pitch in Himachal.
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Himachal has a history of changing the state government every five years and the BJP is seeking to change this 'rivaaz' [custom] in this elections. The party is banking on the 'double engine' government, which is a term the party uses to refer to the situation when the governments at the Centre and the state are both by run by the BJP, resulting in, according to BJP, in two-fold development.
Overall, the BJP manifesto lists 11 major promises:
1. The Uniform Civil Code
2. Rs 3,000 per year to small-scale farmers
3. 8 lakh new jobs
4. Roads to every village
5. Development of pilgrimage sites, development of 'Himteerth Tourist Circuit'
6. Reducing GST to 12% to apple farmers
7. Five new medical colleges, mobile health clinics
8. Rs 900 crore start-up fund
9. Increase in financial aid to soldiers killed in line of duty
10. Survey of Waqf Board properties, investigation of their illegal use
11. Resolution of irregularities in salaries of government employees
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Introduction of the UCC has historically been among the major goals of the BJP, along with the construction of Ram Mandir and the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and what it calls the complete integration of J&K into India.
Nadda made special promises to girls and women, announcing schemes for self-employment, incentives for further education, pensions, and financial aid to high performers in academics.
The BJP manifesto listed the following promises:
1. Rs 51,000 for women from wedding of below poverty line (BPL) families
2. Cycles for school-going girls, scooties for female students in higher education
3. Interest-free loans to women for homestays, laon amounts to be increased at 2% interest to self-help groups
4. Rs 25,000 for care of mothers and newborns
5. Three free gas cylinders
6. Inclusion of Atal Pension Yojana for women above 30
7. Rs 2,500 per month to top 5,000 girl students in 12th class
8. Cattle feed at appropriate rates
9. 'Stree Shakti Card' for women's healthcare
10. Two girl hostels per district in 12 districts
11. 33% reservation for women in government jobs
