BJP releases manifesto for Odisha polls, promises 350,000 jobs in 5 years

The BJP on Sunday released its manifesto for the assembly elections in Odisha, promising 3.5 lakh jobs in five years, cash voucher of Rs 50,000 for women, returning the money people lost by investing in chit fund companies, and procurement of paddy at Rs 3,100 per quintal.

The manifesto, titled 'Modi Ka Guarantee for Odisha 2024', was released by BJP president JP Nadda for the four-phase elections to Odisha's 147-member assembly, which will be held simultaneously with polls for the state's 21 Lok Sabha seats, starting on May 13.

In the manifesto, the BJP promised 'Samrudh Krushak Niti', under which paddy will be procured at Rs 3,100 per quintal and the money will be credited to the bank accounts of farmers within 48 hours.

If voted to power, the BJP said it will launch 'Subhadra Yojana' under which every woman will receive a cash voucher of Rs 50,000 which can be encashed over two years.

"We will aim to create 25 lakh 'Lakhpati Didis' in Odisha by 2027. For this, we will create industrial clusters for every 500 self-help groups, wherein we will provide facility management for product marketing and promotion," Nadda said.

The BJP promised to build 'Odia Samudaya Bhawan' in all metro cities of the country for the welfare of Odia people living outside the state.

The party promised an annual lean period allowance of Rs 10,000 to every fisherman, construction of 75,000 km of roads in the state, Rs 5,000 scholarship per year to tribal students, and Rs 3,000 monthly pension for all senior citizens, physically disabled persons, widows and destitute.

The BJP promised to provide 3.5 lakh jobs by 2029 and said it will fill up 65,000 vacant government posts in a transparent manner within two years.

It promised that it would return the money people lost by investing in chit-fund companies within 18 months, and implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme within 100 days.

The BJP also promised medical, engineering and law courses in Odia, and set up IT parks at Bhubaneswar, Rourkela, Berhampur and Balasore, besides textile parks in western Odisha.

If voted to power, the BJP said it would expand the capacity of government hospitals by 36,000 beds, modernise ICUs, dialysis units and operations theaters, and establish nursing colleges, medical colleges and super speciality hospitals in every district.

Alleging that the BJD government in the state mismanaged the Jagannath temple in Puri, Nadda said, "We will expedite the investigation of the missing key of the Ratna Bhandar, and make its inventory public."

All the mutts evicted during the redevelopment project will be fairly compensated and re-established, and all four gates of the temple will be opened for devotees, he said.

Nadda alleged that violence against women has increased in the state under the Naveen Patnaik government, and scores of BJD leaders are involved in atrocities such as rape and murder.