Shillong: Promising to make Meghalaya a corruption-free state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assured to establish a Special Task Force (STF) under a retired Supreme Court Judge to investigate all cases of corruption if the party is elected to power in the upcoming assembly elections.
“We think there is a lot of scope to be done for Meghalaya. There is competition among the Northeastern States for development, and Meghalaya also is trying to cope-up with it. However, corruption has been an issue that has been a hindrance in the development of the State,” BJP national president J P Nadda said while releasing the party’s manifesto titled “Empower Meghalaya”.
“We want to make Meghalaya a corruption-free state. We need a strong Meghalaya and it is possible only with strong BJP. To achieve this, we have to think big. Speed, Scale and Skill – are three aspects that have to be managed well. We have to visualize big for the State – we aspire for a ‘Mega Meghalaya’,” he added.
Wooing government employees to cast their vote in favour of the BJP, Nadda said the party will implement the 7th Pay Commission in Meghalaya for all government employees and the salaries of the employees will be dispersed in time.
“We will double the pension for senior citizens to Rs. 1,000 per month and ensure there are no delays in their disbursements,” he said.
The party manifesto also promises to constitute a Task Force to check illegal mining, besides ensuring the scientific mining of coal in the state.
“We will collaborate with the Central Government to solve the Meghalaya-Assam border issue, and will establish permanent outposts to promote safety, security, and rule of law,” the BJP leader said.
The party manifesto promises to increase the annual financial assistance under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme from the current Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000 per annum.
“We will provide financial assistance of Rs 3,000 per annum under the Chief Minister’s Landless Farmer Scheme to all landless farmers,” the party assured.
To empower women, Nadda said the party will introduce the Ka Phan Nonglait scheme providing a bond of Rs 50,000 on the birth of a girl child and 33 per cent reservation for women in all Government jobs, with a special focus on the police force.
Ka Phan Nonglait is Meghalaya’s 1st & most prominent female freedom fighter being recognised as an unsung hero, who bravely assisted U Tirot Sing against the British troops.
Apart from promising to provide free-of-cost, quality education to all female students from KG to PG, the BJP also promised to provide free scooties to all meritorious college-going female students from financially weak households.
“We will launch the Jugi Rani Jugi Silchi Support Scheme to provide financial assistance of Rs 24,000 annually to all dependent widows and single mothers. We will provide 2 free LPG cylinders to all the beneficiaries of the PM Ujjwala Yojana,” the manifesto promised.
To empower youth, the BJP promised to provide skill training and create 3.5 lakh self-employment opportunities by setting up two new SEZs, Industrial Units, one additional IT Park, banking and hospitality industries over the next five years.
“We will introduce Karnesh Marak Youth Support Scheme to provide monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000 to unemployed graduates for a period of one year to help them prepare for higher education or government jobs. We will establish an empowered Meghalaya Combined Recruitment Commission to expedite filling of vacancies across various departments,” the BJP said.
The BJP also promised to invest Rs 1000 crores for the promotion of Meghalaya as a major national and international tourism destination, besides introducing the Meghalaya Tourism Skill Mission to provide training and employment opportunities to 1 lakh local youth.
Promising to provide free rice, wheat and dal to all eligible PDS beneficiaries every month, the BJP president said that it will establish Sanja Manda Sangma Canteens providing locally-made nutritious meals for only Rs 5 per plate.
“We will double the per-family annual insurance cap from Rs 5 lakhs to Rs 10 lakhs under Ayushman Bharat. We will initiate the Meghalaya Health Infrastructure Mission with an investment of Rs 2,500 crores for the development of medical colleges and other health infrastructure in the state,” he said.
Nadda said that it is only BJP which gives its report card. Neither the Congress party nor any other parties talk about it.
“We, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi believe in the report card culture. We always fulfill what we say in our Vision Document. No other party remembers the old report card and its promises. It is only the BJP which delivers whatever it says and promises,” he added.
