NDA Announces Progressive Welfare Manifesto, Pledges Enhanced Pension Scheme for Women

NDA in Andhra Pradesh released its manifesto promising 'super six' schemes: Rs 1,500 monthly pension for women, 20 lakh jobs or unemployment aid, free bus travel for women, three free cooking gas cylinders, Rs 20,000 annual aid for farmers, and public-private partnerships. Other initiatives include P4 scheme for poverty alleviation, youth employment drives, EWS reservation, land title protection, petrol price control, insurance schemes, digital health cards, and capital development for Amaravati and Visakhapatnam. Despite BJP not including state-level manifestos, NDA partner TDP believes in their support. YSRCP chief criticizes the manifesto for lacking Prime Minister Modi's endorsement. NDA partners TDP, Janasena, and BJP have a seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming elections.

The National Democratic Alliance comprising BJP, TDP and Janasena in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday released its joint manifesto for the upcoming elections in the state, featuring 'super six' promises and several other welfare-centric schemes.

The highlight of the manifesto is the 'super six' schemes, 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.

Other schemes under 'super six' are three free cooking gas cylinders to every household per year, and Rs 20,000 annual financial assistance to every farmer.

"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 TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu while releasing the manifesto at his Andhra Pradesh residence in Undavalli, Guntur district.

Besides the 'super six', the manifesto brought the P4 scheme, which constitutes Public, Private, People and Partnership, aimed at transforming poor people into rich sections.

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 percent Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) reservation brought by the NDA government, along with an economic survey every five years.

Further, Naidu assured that the Land Titling Act introduced by the YSRCP government will be rescinded and also promised to "control" petrol and diesel prices.

Among other irrigation projects, he promised ''quick'' completion of the Polavaram Project and also introduced 'Chandranna' Insurance scheme, under which natural deaths will receive an insurance amount of Rs 5 lakh and accidental deaths Rs 10 lakh.

Similarly, the manifesto 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 North Andhra region, Naidu said Visakhapatnam will be developed as the financial capital of the state and important places along 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.

Meanwhile, 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.

"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," he 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.

Janasena, TDP and BJP are NDA alliance partners in the southern state.

As part of a seat sharing deal among 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.

Elections for the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled to be held on May 13.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)