Free laptops, free cows among BJP promises in Telangana election manifesto

Unemployed youth will get Rs 3,116 per month and Rohingyas from Bangladesh will be sent back, the party says.

The BJP released on Thursday its manifesto for Telangana elections on December 7, promising its government will waive off farm loans of up to Rs 2 lakh, give free laptops to college students, regulate liquor sale, and give cows for free.

The manifesto, which was released by state BJP president K Laxman, also promised a legislation to prevent "forcible religious conversions" made by offering money and other inducements.

Steps would be taken to send back Rohingyas and those who "illegally entered" from Bangladesh, said the manifesto. The party also promised free quality seeds and free bore wells or pump sets for farmers.

Alongside free laptops to degree students, the manifesto said girl students from the seventh standard to the 10th standard will get free cycles. Girl students of degree and above courses will get 'scooties' (two-wheelers) with 50 per cent subsidy.

It also promised free houses to all eligible poor by 2022. Financial assistance of Rs 5,000 per month would be paid towards rent till the construction of such houses, it said.

In addition to the implementation of the NDA government's 'Ayushman Bharat' health scheme, the manifesto promised steps to set up generic medicine centres in every mandal (administrative unit).

Unemployed youth will get  Rs 3,116 per month. For the welfare of women, the manifesto promised provision of Rs one lakh and one 'tola' (about 12 grams) gold to poor women at the time of marriage under 'Sowbhagya Laxmi' scheme.

The manifesto also promised subsidy to senior citizens for visiting Kailash Mansarovar, Kashi and Puri. Cows would be distributed free of cost every year at the time of festivals and other celebrations, the manifesto said.

The party promised allocation of Rs 100 crore to a 'linguistic board' proposed to be set up for the welfare of speakers of Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Oriya and Hindi speaking living in the state.

It also assured doing away with the surcharge currently being collected (by state-run Road Transport Corporation) for bus travel during festivals. 

Asserting that BJP would not see liquor sales as a source of revenue, the party promised regulation of sale of liquor. Restrictions would be imposed on the timings for its sale.

For law and order, surveillance cameras would be installed at vital places in large numbers across the state.

The backward classes corporation would be allocated Rs 5,000 crore annually, the manifesto said.

For the welfare of minorities, the manifesto promised effective implementation of central schemes, including 'Seekho aur Kamao', 'Naya Manzil', 'Pado Pardesh' and 'Naya Roshni'.

The lands of waqf board will be protected. Computer training and skill development would also be offered in Madrassas, it promised.