The Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has finally released its manifesto for the Delhi Assembly polls on Tuesday. Just 4 days before the voting begins.
AAP's competitors in these elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Congress had released their manifestos on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
So here’s a quick brief of what political parties are offering to win the electoral battle, whose results will be announced on February 11.
Starting with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, which has mentioned 11,000 buses and 500-km metro network for better transportation, doorstep delivery of ration, some commercial areas to remain open 24X7 on a pilot basis, amnesty for old VAT cases, no raid raj, and legal protection to street vendors and hawkers within six months
They have also promised pucca houses for slum dwellers, free travel for students, besides women in DTC Buses.
And speaking of academics, patriotism curriculum and spoken English course in schools has been mentioned in their manifesto.
According to a NETA App Survey report, Kejriwal despite falling behind his Deputy Manish Sisodia and two other party MLAs, has impressed the people with his performance in education and development.
In case you don’t remember, the Aam Aadmi Party formed the government in the 2015 assembly election with a landslide victory of 67 out of 70 seats. At that time, the BJP could win only 3 seats while the Congress was left with zero.
Next is the Bharatiya Janata Party, which seems to have offered a bigger slice of their cake to women and girls from poor financial backgrounds.
The list includes Rs 1 lakh bank deposit for girls from poor families when they turn 21. Also, Rs 51,000 to daughters of poor widows for their wedding.
They have also assured scooty to college-going girls, bicycles if she is in 9th standard.
For infrastructure, they have allocated Rs 10,000 crore and assured to build 10 new colleges, 200 schools.
While the AAP has projected the turnaround in Delhi government schools as a major achievement, the opposition BJP has been critical of its performance and recently released videos showing some schools in a shabby condition.
The BJP has also mentioned jobs to all contractual workers until the age of 58 with Delhi govt-run establishments and to facilitate conversion of leasehold to freehold for traders.
Well, they have also promised to provide wheat flour to the poor at the price of Rs 2 per kg
The Indian National Congress on the other hand mentioned to provide free power up to 300 units, 100 units more than that of provided by the AAP party.
Besides, the party has also promised to increase old age, widow pension from Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000.
Provide free education till doctorate to girl students and Rs 5,000 and Rs 7,500 monthly stipend to unemployed graduates and post-graduates, 33 per cent reservation to women in govt jobs, Rs 35,000 crore budget for unauthorised colonies and 25 per cent of the Budget spend to check pollution and introduction of 15,000 e-buses.
Speaking of Delhi’s air quality, during AAP party’s tenure, which they have popularised as ‘Acche Beete 5 Saal’ the Odd-Even vehicle rationalising scheme was implemented thrice to curb air pollution and Kejriwal through advertisements claimed that levels of PM 2.5 (or particulate matters equal to or smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter) reduced to an average of 115 between 2016 and 2018 from an average of 154 between 2012 and 2014, which amounted to a 25 per cent reduction.
However, both, the BJP and the Congress had slammed the AAP for what they called "misleading advertisements."
Besides, the ruling party is also facing a determined assault from...
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