The BJP move is seen as the party’s big push to woo farmers as nearly 76% of the population in Odisha is involved in farming, and paddy is the dominant crop.
Releasing the manifesto on Sunday, party president J P Nadda said, “BJP is fighting the election not to sit in opposition, but to form govt in Odisha.”The party also promised to introduce cash incentive programmes specifically targeting women and tribal communities.It outlined plans for region-specific development packages to address the diverse needs of the state.
In its Odisha manifesto, christened ‘Modi Ka Guarantee for Odisha 2024,’ the party promised to launch a new policy, ‘Samrudh Krushak Niti’, offering Rs 3,100 per quintal for paddy within 48 hours of purchase. Congress had promised paddy MSP at Rs 3,000 in its manifesto.
BJP’s national manifesto had mentioned it would increase MSP from time to time. Though Centre takes the decision on MSP, states can add an additional amount as bonus.
Trying to woo women voters, considered loyal to BJD, BJP promised Rs 50,000 cash voucher to every woman under a new scheme, ‘Subhadra Yojana’, and increase the monthly remuneration of anganwadi workers to Rs 12,000 from the existing Rs 10,000. A girl child will be given Rs 2 lakh assurance at birth, which she will be able to encash upon attaining the age of 21, the manifesto said.
Targeting tribals, BJP promised to give Rs 5,000 pocket money annually to all tribal students to check dropouts. The party said it will establish an Odisha Adivasi Swabhiman University to promote tribal art, culture and language. Five of the 21 LS seats and 33 of the 147 assembly seats in Odisha are reserved for Scheduled Tribes.
To “bring back” Odia asmita, a key poll issue, BJP said it will launch ‘ChitraAI’ to help translate Odia into 22 major languages, collaborate with international universities to establish Odia chairs, and build statues of noted Odia personalities in various parts of the state.
Responding to BJP’s manifesto, BJD leader VK Pandian said BJP had tried to fool people through its promises. Speaking at an election rally, Pandian said BJP has promised to hike MSP of paddy when an election is round the corner.
