The NDA today released its election manifesto for the coming Bihar assembly polls, promising sweeping socio-economic reforms across youth, women, infrastructure and backward-community welfare.
The manifesto, named “Sankalp Patra”, promises over one crore government jobs through a statewide skill census and setting up “Mega Skill Centres” in every district. Equally significantly, it pledges to convert Bihar into a global hub for skilling and industrial growth.
It also promised ₹10 lakh assistance for the state’s Extremely Backward Classes and a commission headed by a Supreme Court judge to look into the problems faced by them.
Women’s empowerment also features: a manifesto promising to create one crore “Lakhpati Didis” through skill and financial support, and a special employment scheme offering up to ₹2 lakh to women entrepreneurs.
The infrastructure and industry promises comprise seven new expressways, metro services in four additional cities, ten new industrial parks per district, 100 MSME parks, and 50,000 cottage industries. It speaks of investments worth ₹50 lakh crore to boost manufacturing, agro-industry, and semiconductor parks.
On education and welfare, the manifesto promises free education from kindergarten to postgraduate level, and enhanced support to SC students, free treatment up to ₹5 lakh besides free ration and 125 free electricity units to households.
The announcement was made during a press meet in Patna by NDA leaders Nitish Kumar, JP Nadda, among other alliance partners. This timing comes just days ahead of the polling phases and reflects the attempt of the alliance to regain momentum in a state where unemployment and migration remain major voter concerns.
This manifesto sets a high bar for the campaign that will follow with promises that are both bold and wide-ranging. Whether or not these assurances translate into electoral success depends on voter perceptions of them, as well as any future government’s ability to implement them.
