Amravati: TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday unveiled the election manifesto of NDA partners TDP, Janasena and BJP in Andhra Pradesh, featuring “super six” promises and several other welfare-centric schemes.
Elections for the 175-member assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled to be held on May 13.
The highlight of the manifesto is the “super six”, which includes Rs 1,500 monthly pension to women in the age bracket of 19 to 59 years, 20 lakh jobs for youth or Rs 3,000 monthly unemployment aid, and free bus travel for women.
“We conducted a thorough exercise on this (manifesto). Both TDP and Janasena sat together and came up with it. We also took some suggestions from BJP before going ahead,” said Naidu while releasing the manifesto at his Andhra Pradesh residence in Undavalli, Guntur district.
The other schemes under the “super six” are three free cooking gas cylinders to every household a year, Rs 15,000 to every school-going child per annum and Rs 20,000 annual financial assistance to every farmer.
Besides this, the manifesto also has a ‘P4 scheme’ that constitutes “Public, Private, People and Partnership” aimed at increasing the income of the poor.
According to the manifesto, welfare pensions, which would be implemented from April itself will be hiked from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 per month while specially-abled persons would receive a pension of Rs 6,000 per month.
Similarly, persons with complete disability have been promised a welfare pension of Rs 15,000 per month and patients with long-term illnesses related to kidney and thalassemia would receive a monthly pension of Rs 10,000.
On youth employment, Naidu promised a mega teacher recruitment drive and annual job calendar along with dedicated employment zones for North Andhra, Coastal and Rayalaseema regions.
Naidu vowed to implement the 10 per cent Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) reservation brought by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre along with an economic survey every five years.
He also assured that the Land Titling Act introduced by the YSRCP government will be rescinded and petrol and diesel prices controlled.
However, Naidu highlighted that the services of government volunteers will be continued at an enhanced honorarium of Rs 10,000 per month.
He promised “quick” completion of the Polavaram irrigation project and introduction of the ‘Chandranna’ Insurance scheme, under which natural deaths will be covered by an insurance amount of Rs 5 lakh and accidental deaths Rs 10 lakh.
The manifesto also promised a health insurance of Rs 25 lakh for every household in the state, digital health cards for every person and free generic medicines for people suffering from non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
Outlining plans for the North Andhra region, Naidu said Visakhapatnam will be developed as the financial capital of the state and important places along the Vizag-Chennai industrial corridor would be industrialised if the alliance comes to power.
Moreover, he emphasised that Amaravati will be developed as the capital city of the southern state and measures will be taken for its reconstruction.
The manifesto included relevant schemes for various other sectors such as tourism, food processing, industrialisation and investments, aquaculture, irrigation, religious communities and others.
The TDP supremo noted that NDA partner BJP, which issued a national level manifesto under its banner, would extend complete cooperation to the opposition coalition’s manifesto in Andhra Pradesh where the YSRCP is in power.
“NDA released a manifesto at the national level. But they are not associating with any manifesto at the state level. However, I have faith that they will extend complete cooperation to this (manifesto). That’s why they (Sidharth Nath Singh) came personally to endorse,” he said.
“Three parties have come together. And, our union is for the victory of people and the state should withstand and there should be light in people’s lives,” Naidu added.
Reacting to the opposition manifesto, YSRCP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy said the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photograph proves that the promises are unattainable.
“In the 2014 manifesto, Chandrababu Naidu’s photo was displayed alongside Modi and Pawan Kalyan, and the signed pamphlet was sent to every household in the state. But before he unveiled the 2024 manifesto, BJP headquarters notified him not to use the PM’s photo. This proves that his promises are unattainable and BJP doesn’t agree with it,” said Reddy.
As part of a seat sharing deal among the NDA partners, TDP was allocated 144 assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies while BJP will contest from six Lok Sabha and 10 assembly seats. Janasena will contest two Lok Sabha and 21 assembly seats.
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