John Wilbert & Saurabh Singh
Port Blair, Feb 23: The Bharatiya Janata Party, A& N State unit today released the manifesto named ‘Sankalp Patra’ for Panchayat and Municipal Elections in A&N Islands.
Many big promises have been made in the manifesto viz creation of world class infrastructure for Port Blair, Education & Employment for youths, Promotion of sports and review of Property Tax etc.
It was released in the presence of Mr. Dilip Saikia, MP, National General Secretary, Election Incharge, BJP, A&N Islands, Mr. Ashish Sood, NEM BJP, Election Co Incharge, BJP, A&N Islands, Mr. Ajay Bairagi, State President, BJP and Mr. Vishal Jolly, NEM BJP, Chairman EMC, BJP, A&N Islands.
In the Manifesto the BJP promised that the party is committed to develop Port Blair into a world-class smart city.
The Party in Manifesto promised that all the roads and footpaths coming within the ambit of PBMC will get constructed within a specific period of time and all necessary repair and maintenance work will be done.
1000 meters of new drains in each ward every year will be constructed.
Free WiFi will be given within the limits of Port Blair Municipal Council.
Construction of new shops will be done for leasing it out to local residents of every PBMC ward and panchayat for setting up of business units. The existing single-stories shops would be replaced by double or triple storied buildings to provide more opportunities, without disturbing the tenancy of the existing tenants.
Gandhi Park will be developed as a grand tourist destination and a laser show will be introduced.
The present Ratnam Market would be developed as a Shopping Mall/Super Market.
Regarding the water issue the Manifesto promised.
Adequate measures will be taken to provide clean and safe drinking water to every household in Port Blair and to ensure water security 24 X 7 across the city.
BJP promised that the party will launch a comprehensive water pipeline up-gradation program with the objectives of Water supply for all wards.
Regarding Education and Employment For Youth the party promised that Port Blair Municipal Council under the BJP will be committed to increasing the participation of Islanders in the civil service of the country, and a government UPSC coaching centre will be started.
New Training Centres will be established for conducting specialised training on repairing and maintenance of Tourist and Fishing boats and for solar panels and LED bulbs for young people of the Island.
All the vacancies of PBMC and Panchayats will be filled up by recruiting local youth of the Islands.
Regarding promotion of sports the party promised that as a sign of BJP’s commitment to take comprehensive steps to develop the culture of sports in the city and as a measure to provide resources. Netaji Stadium will be converted into a world class stadium and in every ward sports-related primary facilities and playgrounds will be provided.
Inter ward/Panchayat sports will be organised and sports persons will be facilitated.
Yuva Kendras for children and youth in every ward will be constructed to provide state-of-the-art sports facilities.
Other than these, the party promised that financial assistance to build new pucca houses will be provided through Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna for the homeless and urban poor. The budget of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna will be utilised totally to ensure ‘Housing For All’ in the city.
A ‘Corpus Fund’ will be created for the welfare of local people involved in the tourism industry by invoking a reasonable cess on all the inbound tourists.
BJP claimed that the party is committed to making daughters of the city ‘Atma Nirbhar’ and will provide financial aid of Rs. 30,000 to daughters of widows and free usage of community centres for weddings.
Rs. 1000/Month will be given to Sanitation Workers of the Council as nutritious food allowance.
All Daily Wager Sanitary Mazdoors, Work Charge Mazdoors who are working continuously for more than 10 years or more in PBMC will be regularised by framing a ‘one-time regularisation scheme’, following the judgments pronounced by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in this regard.
Around 249 posts of various categories such as 189 Work Charge Mazdoors and 60 posts of Sanitary Mazdoors are vacant and therefore all steps would be taken to make sure that at least these Mazdoors are regularised as per seniority.
An adequate number of oncologists will be appointed and a dedicated department for the treatment of cancer will be established by the PBMC.
Free cremation services for the destitute and the poor in the city and panchayats will also be ensured.
Regarding Property Tax the party promised that all the provisions pertaining to property tax provisions will be reviewed and amended and will make all endeavours to remove property tax pertaining to residential buildings within the PBMC.
Later addressing the media persons Dilip Saikia, the National General Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party, MP and election in-charge of Andaman and Nicobar Islands said that the country is moving in a new direction of development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With the slogan of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Prayas, this archipelago is also developing rapidly in the last seven years.
