The two major Opposition political parties — the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress — on Sunday unveiled their manifestos here, making tall promises.
“We promise to free farmers and sharecroppers from the clutches of moneylenders and from their debt burden by providing interest-free crop loans to all sharecroppers, small and marginal farmers of Odisha,” says the BJP manifesto released by party president Amit Shah.
Taking a cue from the Congress’ efforts of getting unused land back from the industries in Chhattisgarh, the BJP said, “We promise to return the land to the farmers if the project for which the government acquired the land does not commence even after five years.”
₹1 lakh cr. for irrigation
The party has also promised to expand the irrigation network in the State through a dedicated fund of ₹1 lakh crore in the State over the next five years.
As far as tribal development was concerned, the BJP promised to take up with the Central government all the pending demands for designation under the Scheduled Tribe status in a time-bound manner.
“We shall ensure that the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, is notified and implemented within three months of the party coming to power. We shall ensure that all records of rights claims of tribal settlers would be settled within the next five years,” the manifesto said.
On the other hand, the Odisha Congress appeared more generous in promising handouts. Apart from guaranteed income of ₹6,000 per month for the 20% poorest under the Nyuntam Aay Yojana, the Congress’s manifesto assures a job in every family and an allowance of ₹3,000 per month for the jobless.
“We will regularise all contractual workers, give land to every landless family, ensure shelter for every homeless by 2024, provide special assistance of ₹10,000 per year to farmers for three years and pay an allowance of ₹2,000 per month to widows,” said OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik.
Cases against tribals
On the issue of tribal development, Mr. Patnaik said all forest offence cases against the tribals would be dropped while implementation of the PESA Act, 1996, would be ensured.
