Uttarakhand Elections 2017: BJP releases manifesto, promises laptops and smartphones for meritorious students

The BJP today released its vision document for Uttarakhand which promises a slew of freebies for the education sector including distribution of free laptops and smartphones among meritorious students besides giving a boost to health facilities and making them available to every section of society.

The state will go to polls on February 15. Releasing the vision document, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said BJP is proud of documenting the party's vision for the development of a state which it created during its last stint in power at the Centre. "It is a proud moment for BJP to spell out its vision for a state which acquired statehood under NDA as the fulfilment of the long cherished aspiration of the people living in this region," Jaitley said.  He said the document which envisions clean governance for Uttarakhand is in sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment for accelerating the country along the highway of growth.

Noting that development was the biggest casualty of lack of political stability in Uttarakhand, he said the state which has tremendous potential in the education and tourism sectors can realise the full potential of its growth only when BJP comes to power here and works in partnership with the Centre for its development. The 14-page document with the pictures of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah on the cover besides those of the five MPs, former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, Satpal Maharaj and Pradesh BJP president Ajay Bhatt on the cover promises to develop the state as an education hub by reviewing the education policy and putting in place an education system with emphasis on quality.

It also promises to distribute free laptops and smartphones among meritorious students, free education up to post graduation level to girls from economically weaker sections, free wi-fi connectivity to all state-based universities and regularisation of guest and contract teachers. Building boarding schools for girl students in the districts is also on top of the party's agenda. The vision document also vows to take effective steps to stop commercialisation of education and put an end to corruption prevailing in the sector.

Citing poor condition of health facilities in the state under the Congress government, the vision document speaks of prioritising the health sector and opening trauma centres in Garhwal and Kumaon regions, affordable drug dispensing centres in every block besides beginning air ambulance services in the state and strengthening the 108 mobile health services by launching additional fleet of vehicles.
BPL families and those which come outside the ambit of payment of income tax will be provided Health Welfare Cards.

Existing medical colleges will be provided better facilities and efforts will be made to set up new ones. In view of the state's tremendous potential in the tourism sector, steps will be taken to boost medical tourism by putting up health resorts, yoga and ayurvedic centres. Home stay schemes will be made more effective besides finetuning facilities for tourists at the pilgrimage centres dotting the state.

Organic farming will be given impetus and interest free crop loans will be given to farmers besides giving preference to run of the river projects to tap the state's huge hydro-electricity potential without interrupting the flow of the rivers, the vision document said. Suitable infrastructural facilities will be created at Gairsain and consideration will be given to announcing it as the summer capital of the state by evolving a consensus over the subject.
All available options will also be explored by the state assembly, the highest elected body, on granting permanent capital status to Gairsain if the party is voted to power, it said.