AAP promises lowest VAT in India

Party says it will halve power tariff and give 20,000 litres of free water to each household every month

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s manifesto for the Delhi Assembly polls, released on Saturday, reiterated the party’s position of not allowing foreign direct investment in retail in the national capital. It promised the lowest value-added tax (VAT) in India and simpler rules in this regard.

It also committed itself to “pro-farmer land reform”.

The 70-point manifesto also promised a 50 per cent cut in power rates, free Wi-Fi across Delhi, 1-1.5 million CCTV cameras for the safety of women, making water a legal right and providing 20,000 litres of free water to each household every month. If it came to power, the mandatory 10 per cent increase in water tariff every year would be scrapped, the party said.

The Congress manifesto, released earlier this week, promised to reduce power rates to Rs 1.5 a unit for consumption up to 200 units a month. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided not to release a manifesto, but a vision document. Ahead of the 2013 Assembly elections, the BJP had promised 30 per cent reduction in power rates.

Other promises by AAP included constructing 200,000 toilets, 500 government schools, 20 degree colleges and setting up 30,000 additional beds in government hospitals. It also committed to creating 800,000 jobs in Delhi in the next five years and making the city a “start0up hub”.

AAP chief and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the manifesto was the result of a four-month long engagement with the capital’s population.

The party manifesto stated AAP would formulate trader-friendly policies and streamline rules and regulations for setting up and running businesses. “We will ensure starting a trade or business in Delhi doesn’t take more than a week,” it said.

On land reform, the party said it would scrap sections 33 and 81 of the Delhi Land Reform Act, which put unjust restrictions on the rights of farmers over their land. “No land will be acquired in Delhi’s villages without the consent of gram sabhas. Strong pressure will be exerted on the central government to remove unnecessary restrictions regarding land use in villages,” it said.

Kejriwal said his party, if it came to power in Delhi, would ensure the Delhi Lok Pal Bill was passed; it would also introduce a Swaraj Bill to devolve power to the mohalla level and increase people’s participation in decision making. The party also promised a citizens’ local area development fund.

The Kejriwal-led government had resigned in February 2014, after failing to ensure the passage of the Lok Pal Bill in the Delhi Assembly.

The party promised second-language status to Urdu and Punjabi and encouragement to research and study in these languages, as well as Sanskrit. It said it would use 200 acres of vacant land with a government department for affordable housing, and promised to regularise unauthorised colonies within a year of coming to power. It said it would fill the 55,000 vacancies in the Delhi government and autonomous bodies.

The manifesto said AAP would seek full statehood for Delhi. Currently, the Delhi government does not have land, public order and police under its jurisdiction.

In its 2013 Assembly election manifesto, the BJP had promised full statehood for Delhi. This time, the party has refrained from making that promise.