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Bihar polls: Women, youth focus of JD(U) manifesto
In the document titled “Saksham Bihar Swavalambi Bihar (Capable Bihar, Independent Bihar)’, which is the Saat Nishchay (seven resolves) 2.0 — a vision document for the next five years — the party proposed giving women a grant up to 50% of project cost, capped to a maximum of ₹5 lakh, for launching new entrepreneurship programme.
The Janata Dal (United) focussed on women’s empowerment and upgrading the skill of young people as part of its ‘Nishchay Patra 2020’ released on Sunday, detailing seven promises if voted back to power in the upcoming assembly polls in Bihar.
In the document titled “Saksham Bihar Swavalambi Bihar (Capable Bihar, Independent Bihar)’, which is the Saat Nishchay (seven resolves) 2.0 — a vision document for the next five years — the party proposed giving women a grant up to 50% of project cost, capped to a maximum of ₹5 lakh, for launching new entrepreneurship programme. It also promised to give them interest-free loans up to ₹5 lakh.
To promote higher education among women and reduce the total fertility rate, it promised financial assistance of ₹25,000 and ₹50,000 to unmarried women who pass their Class 12 and graduation examinations, respectively. The JD(U) had released a similar document, listing seven resolves of governance, which were the common minimum programme endorsed by its then coalition partner the RJD, ahead of the 2015 assembly polls.
“To serve the people is our duty. I thank you for giving me an opportunity to serve Bihar,” tweeted chief minister Nitish Kumar.
The document proposed to use better technology to improve the quality of training imparted to youth through industrial training institutes (ITIs) and polytechnic to make them employable. It proposed to have ITI and polytechnic centres and mega skill centre at district and sub-division level.
The party promised to give grants up to 50% of project cost, capped to a maximum of Rs 3 lakh, for setting up any new entrepreneurship, so that young people were not dependent on government jobs.
It also proposed to set up a new government department for skill and entrepreneurship, which will have in its ambit industrial training institutes (ITIs) and polytechnic for this purpose. Besides, it talked of improving rural connectivity with state and national highways for easy accessibility; providing water to every agricultural farm, having clean and prosperous village, besides clean and developed city; and improving health and veterinary facilities.
“People have seen our government achieve almost all its target set as part of the ‘seven resolves’ in the last five years. They have hope in chief minister Nitish Kumar that he will deliver what he promises. They also know all too well by now that he is a credible face in the state,” said JD(U) working president Ashok Choudhary.
