Jammu, Sep 06: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday unveiled the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) poll manifesto for Jammu and Kashmir.
As per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the manifesto called as ‘Sankalp Patra’ (Resolution Paper) came with several lucrative announcements for unemployed youth, women and farmers which include 5 lakh jobs, Rs 18000 per annum to women, increased reservations, financial aid for farmers, and infrastructure development.
The manifesto also includes several welfare schemes aimed at the residents of Jammu and Kashmir.
The manifesto promised ‘Maa Samman Yojana’ to give Rs 18,000 to the eldest lady of every family, each year besides two free cylinders under the Ujjwala scheme.
BJP promised 5 lakh employment opportunities will be created through Pandit Prem Nath Dogra Rozgar Yojana.
Under Pragati Shiksha Yojana, students will get Rs 3,000 per year, as a travelling allowance besides reimbursement of upto Rs 10,000 of coaching fee for JKPSC and UPSC aspirants and students in remote areas will receive tablets or laptops, according to BJP’s 25-point manifesto.
It also promised a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for IT at Jammu City, an amusement park in Srinagar, and the development of Gulmarg and Pahalgam as modern tourist destinations, development of Kishtwar, Rajouri, Udhampur and infrastructure development in the Union territory.
The party aims to develop the Tawi Riverfront in Jammu, modelled after Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront, and to promote water sports and tourism around Dal Lake in Srinagar.
For small traders and MSMEs, the BJP has pledged to resolve existing issues around land access, utility services, and lease deeds. These measures are expected to boost local businesses and support economic growth.
The manifesto promises relief from outstanding electricity and water bills, free electricity under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, and drinking water through the ‘Har Ghar Nal Se Jal’ scheme.
In addition, the BJP pledges to triple pensions for the elderly, widows, and the disabled, from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000, ensuring a life of dignity for vulnerable groups.
The BJP also aims to expand the Ayushman Bharat Sehat Scheme, increasing coverage by an additional Rs 2 lakhs, and promises to add 1,000 new medical seats to government colleges, reflecting its commitment to affordable healthcare.
The BJP has outlined various measures to support farmers, including increasing the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi payout by Rs 4,000, bringing the total annual benefit to Rs 10,000. Electricity tariffs for agricultural activities will be reduced by up to 50%, and the manifesto includes plans to build 10,000 kilometres of new rural roads under the ‘Har Tunnel Tez Pahal’ Yojana, improving connectivity in the region.
The BJP also promised the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits under the Tika Lal Taploo Visthapit Samaj Punarvas Yojana, while also expediting support for refugees from Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (POJK) and internally neglected groups like the Valmiki and Gorkha communities.
A concerted drive to remove illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi settlements from Jammu and Kashmir is another priority in BJP’s plan.
On rehabilitation scheme for Kashmiri Pandits,
The BJP’s key promises and plans for Jammu and Kashmir
Agriculture
Provide Rs 10,000 to the farmers of the state under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.
Reduce electricity rates for agricultural activities by 50%.
Employment
Generate 5 lakh employment opportunities for the youth.
Ensure a fair and just recruitment process.
Education
Under the Pragati Shiksha Yojana, provide college students with a travel allowance of Rs 3,000 per year.
Add 1,000 new seats in medical colleges to improve the education system.
Social Welfare
Under the Maa Samman Yojana, the senior-most woman in every household will be given Rs 18,000 per year.
Ujjwala beneficiaries will receive two free cylinders every year.
Through the Atal Housing Scheme, land will be allotted free of cost to landless beneficiaries.
Old age, widow, and disability pensions will be increased three times.
Infrastructure
Complete all important tunnel projects.
Construct 10,000 km of new rural roads.
Initiate metro services in Jammu and Srinagar.
Religious and Cultural
Rebuild and renovate Hindu temples and religious places.
Healthcare
Ayushman Bharat Sehat Yojana will provide an additional Rs 2 lakh in healthcare coverage on top of the Rs 5 lakh already provided.
Rehabilitation
Speed up the rehabilitation process for displaced people.
Tourism
Transform Jammu and Kashmir from a “terrorist hotspot to a tourist spot.”—(KNO)
