Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 | BJP promises strict anti-conversion law, skill census in poll-bound state

Mumbai: The BJP on Sunday promised to enact an-anti conversion law with stringent provisions in Maharashtra, and also assured a skill census for training as per industry needs as well as free ration to low-income families.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled in Mumbai the 25-point 'Sankalp Patra 2024', as per which the financial assistance component under the Mahayuti government's Ladki Bahin scheme for women will be increased from Rs 1,500 per month to Rs 2,100.

The BJP, in its manifesto for the November 20 state assembly polls, also promised to create 25 lakh job opportunities and assured 10 lakh students will get a stipend of Rs 10,000 every month.

The ruling Mahayuti comprises the BJP, Shiv Sena of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and NCP led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

The BJP's manifesto promised that an anti-conversion law will be enacted with provides for stringent action against forced and deceitful conversions.

Though the skill census, the ruling party assured to ascertain the needs of the industry and upgrade skill training wherever necessary.

Under the Akshay Anna Yojana, low-income families will be provided free food items every month through the Public Distribution System (PDS), as per the manifesto. The BJP has also planned to develop the state into an advanced robotic and Artificial Intelligence (AI) training hub.

It also promised to create 10 lakh new business leaders through the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Akanksha centres in each district.

The party promised to create 50 lakh "lakpati didis" by 2027 for which one industrial cluster of 500 self-help groups will be created and an initial corpus of Rs 1,000 crore will be provided.

The manifesto promised that if voted to power, the Mahayuti will develop Nagpur, Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik and Ahilyanagar as modern aeronautical and space manufacturing centres.

It also promised that the SGST on the purchase of fertilisers will be returned to farmers as grant.

The prices of essential commodities will be kept stable, according to the manifesto.

Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

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