Poor to pay Rs 1 for rice in Chhattisgarh: BJP

However, the youths entering the college would get free tablet or laptop under the scheme that the incumbent government had launched

Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has said it would not supply free foodgrain to the poor people and instead charge Rs 1 for a kilogram of rice.

Aiming to form the government for the third term in succession, BJP on Wednesday released its election manifesto for state polls 2013.

Contrary to the opposition Congress vow to supply 35 kg of rice to poor people free of cost, the ruling party said it was against the pride of Chhattisgarh people to accept foodgrain free of cost.

“Hence BJP has decided to provide a kilogram of rice to poor people at a nominal price of Rs  1,” Chief Minister Raman Singh said while releasing the manifesto.

However, the college fresher would get free tablet or laptop under the scheme that the incumbent government had launched.

Earlier, the final year students were given laptop and tablet, now it would be distributed to all the students entering into college no matter how poor or rich he or she is.

The BJP had tried to maintain its influence among the farmers and announced to pay a bonus of Rs 300 per quintal on paddy procured every year. In the last manifesto, it had promised to pay Rs 270.

The Congress in its election manifesto had promised to pay Rs 2000 for a quintal of paddy procured.

“We would try to fix the minimum support price (MSP) to Rs  2100,” Singh said, adding that the Congress had never been serious on the issues related to farmers’ interests.

The state government had written a number of letters to the Government of India earlier to increase the MSP to Rs 2000 but no action was taken, Singh said.

Experts felt that the focus of BJP manifesto was on the increase in the limit of smart health card.

Earlier, the scheme would enable each family to avail a medical cover of Rs  30,000 every year. The BJP in its manifesto announced to increase the limit to Rs 50,000. The scheme would cover all the 5.6 million families in the state.

Asserting to set up industrial centres in small and medium towns, the BJP manifesto said the government would promote food processing units. The metro and mono rail projects are also in the list of BJP.