Releasing the BJP’s manifesto for the 2021 Puducherry Assembly election, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the party promises to create 2.5 lakh jobs and provide special status to the Union Territory. The promise will ensure the devolution of funds from 25% to 40% as implemented in Jammu and Kashmir.
BJP’s manifesto for the upcoming elections on April 6 comprises a set of poll promises to empower women in Puducherry. These include free and quality education to girls and women from kindergarten to post-graduation; free scooters to female college students; interest-free loans of up to Rs 5 lakh for women self-help groups; a waiver on loans taken by women SHGs, which were affected by the COVID-19; 50% reservation for women employees in government institutions and in local body elections; and free public transport for women.
The BJP also promises to turn Puducherry into a spiritual hub, in addition to setting up tourism centres across Puducherry. It promises to construct a 150-feet statue for Tamil poet Subramania Bharathi. It also promises to bring IT parks, textile parks and elevated railway line from Puducherry to Chennai via Mahabalipuram. The Pondicherry University will be split into Pondicherry Technology University, Pondicherry Arts and Science University and Pondicherry Medical University, said the manifesto.
Puducherry is currently under the President’s Rule after the Congress-led government fell in February 2020 after V Narayanaswamy lost the confidence motion moved by the party after many MLAs and a DMK Minister resigned.
Attacking the Congress for only focussing on “family party”, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “They were taking care of the family but as days went by, Congress failed to ensure the welfare of the people who voted for them. Today, Puducherry, which has a unique tradition and culture, doesn’t need a party that focuses on the families. In the country, if there is a party that thinks about the nation, then it’s only BJP.”.
The Union Minister also said that the BJP government at the Centre and in the Union Territory will ensure that all the central schemes are implemented. “The previous state government did not implement them due to the fear that the Union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will get the credits,” she remarked.