BJP unveils its vision for Delhi

Lays stress on women safety, water, power and housing problems

Giving due weight to women safety, zero tolerance for corruption, basic water, power, education and housing issues, the BJP on Tuesday released a 270-point vision document to woo voters ahead of the February 7 Assembly poll.

Positioning of women security forces in markets, health insurance, new schools and colleges, scrapping of the Bus Rapid Transit corridor in south Delhi, potable water for all, pucca houses for slum dwellers, low cost houses for middle class, regularisation of unauthorised colonies, creation of jobs and security for the elderly figured prominently in the vision document released by chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi.

The use of term “immigrants” for people from the northeast in the BJP’s document sparked a controversy with the Congress demanding an apology from the saffron party.

BJP sources said the translation from Hindi text to English inadvertently brought in the mistake.
Bedi shared the party’s vision to make Delhi a world-class city through a powerpoint presentation which was silent on issues seeking “full statehood” for the city and reduction of consumers’ monthly power bills by 30 per cent – the two key points which figured prominently in the party’s 2013 manifesto.

Without making specific announcements on power bill concessions, the BJP’s document said poor families will be provided power at subsidised rate.

The Congress in its manifesto has already announced to give power at Rs 1.50 per unit up to 200 units of domestic consumption and the Aam Aadmi Party has repeated its promise of slashing the consumers’ monthly bills by half. Statehood and more powers for Delhi also figure prominently in the poll promises of the two parties.

Sounding like a leader in a hurry to get down to work, Bedi underlined the next government’s guiding principles as “Utmost transparency, unimpeachable integrity, fullest accountability, maximum measurability, fiscal prudence and zero tolerance for corruption.”

“Together we shall make Delhi a world-class city,” Bedi said, reminding the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the capital.

She also proposed to start a monthly “Dil ki Baat” radio show – on the lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s own show – and involve cabinet ministers and legislators in directly interacting with people through the show.

“The issues that will simultaneously see action from the new government from the first day are women’s safety and security, youth affairs, electricity and water, housing, civic infrastructure and transport, cleanliness and health, trade and business, education and skill development, jobs and employment and environment,” said Bedi, using her management background to make best use by sharing the secrets of how to do it.

“We will achieve all these through detailed analysis of resources, efficient deployment of resources, motivating legislators and bureaucrats measured on delivery metrics,” said the former Indian Police Service officer and Ramon Magsaysay Award winner.

Some other promises made by the BJP include the introduction of free Wi-Fi in phases, construction of one lakh houses, better health services, double shifts for using government buildings as skill development centres, creation of jobs, preserving cultural heritage and involving traders and industrialists for ease of doing business.

After the vision document’s release, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the BJP has deliberately not made any promise on the statehood issue.

We want a larger debate among all stakeholders before any decision, she said.
Senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar described the vision document as the right step towards giving a forward-looking and caring government.

The vision document said the BJP government will make compulsory health insurance for all citizens of Delhi.

Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh slammed the BJP’s poll promises and said: “It lacks the vision.” He also accused the saffron party of making a U-turn on the issue of giving Delhi full statehood.
The AAP also hit out at the BJP’s poll promises claiming: “This shows that they have no concrete plan for Delhi’s various sections and constituencies.”

“They have not been successful at copying the AAP manifesto and failed to keep up with their own promises of 2013,” the Arvind Kejriwal-led party said, expressing shock over the absence of the BJP’s 2013 poll promise of reducing consumers’ power bills by 30 per cent.