In the previous article related to BJP Vs Congress Manifesto Comparison, we listed down key promises related to women, youth, workers and agriculture and fisheries.
Contents
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJP’s Sankalp Patra vs Congress Nyay PatraKey Promises for Senior Citizens, People with disabilitiesKey Economic Promises Key Promises on HealthcareKey Promises on National Security, Foreign PolicyKey Promises on Environment ProtectionKey Promises for Governance ReformsA Brief Comparative Analysis- BJP Vs Congress Manifesto
In this article related to Lok Sabha Elections 2024, we will focus on comparing the key promises made by the BJP and Congress regarding issues of senior citizens, the economy, Healthcare, national security, foreign policy, and environmental protection.
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJP’s Sankalp Patra vs Congress Nyay Patra
Key Promises for Senior Citizens, People with disabilities
BJP
Senior Citizens
- Ayushman Bharat Yojana will cover senior citizens too, regular Ayush camps for holistic health.
- National Senior Citizens Portal- Platform for sharing stories, insights, and knowledge.Training for Using UPI and online payment methods; recognizing and avoiding digital scams.
- Age-friendly Public infrastructure and transportation systems for senior citizens.
- Convenient Teerth Yatra- Collaboration with state governments
People with disabilities
- Continue to develop affordable Indigenous Assistive Devices for them
- Prioritize their housing needs under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana
Congress
Senior Citizens
- Central govt’s contribution to pension for (senior citizens, widows, and persons with disabilities) raised to Rs.1000
- Review the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, and remove the deficiencies
- Easy access to legal services for senior citizens especially in cases of neglect, abuse, abandonment, eviction and financial fraud
- Restore travel concessions in public transport (rail and road) for senior citizens
People with disabilities
- We will recognize the Braille script and Sign Language as languages.
- A National Centre of Research and Excellence for Special Education- Ensure Quality education for children with special needs and children with disabilities.
- Representation for persons with disabilities in local government bodies.
- A scheme to establish Assisted Living and Care Centres for the disabled (public-private partnership)
- Expand Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution to prohibit discrimination on the grounds of ‘disability’, or ‘impairment’.
Key Economic Promises
BJP
Infrastructure
- Develop industrial cities in different industrial corridors for balanced regional development.
- A nationwide EV charger infrastructure to encourage EV adoption.
- 5000+ km of new tracks every year and will continue to add new tracks at this pace for the next few years.
- Expand water metro services across all feasible regions.
- Expand the manufacturing, design, and installation of Kavach Systems ( Automatic Train Protection System) in a mission mode.
- Launch Vande Sleeper trains for a comfortable overnight journey.
- Construct 15,000 km of access-controlled highways, and ring roads around major cities.
- Amrit Kaal Civil Aviation Master Plan- single-point connectivity to designated regions worldwide.
- Double the share of Inland Water Transport in transportation.
- Cost reduction in construction and registration, regulatory reforms like enabling automatic approvals for standard housing designs, and promoting mixed-use housing.
- Building Sarovars to Manage Floods in North East.
- A dedicated Purvodaya Master Plan for targeted and integrated infrastructure development of eastern India.
Digital Infrastructure
- Expand the 5G networks and take the lead in the development of 6G technology.
- Expand BharatNet to every village with broadband.
- Implement ‘Land Record Digitization’, integration of Revenue Courts and Registration Offices.
- Establish a Digital Tribal Arts Academy to promote tribal art forms.
Energy Initiatives
- Increase ethanol blending in petrol- environment protection, additional income for farmers.
- Targeting 500 GW of renewable energy through mega solar parks, wind parks, and the Green Energy Corridor projects.
- Incentivize private sector investment in large-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
- Nationwide smart grids will be integrated with advanced technology, including smart meters and control centres.
Congress
- Mobilize public and private capital, increase the pace of construction, and augment infrastructure.
- KAVACH will be installed in all train engines and routes to improve passenger safety on Indian railways.
- Implement a comprehensive plan for multi-modal urban public transport.
- Road Tolls policy will be reviewed and formulae will be applied to determine the toll amount and the period of levy for each stretch of the road.
- Support the construction of a twin city near an existing city but separated by a clear green and no-construction zone.
- Transport facilities and connectivity between rural areas and the nearby town/city will be augmented.
- Assess the infrastructure deficit in the North Eastern states and provide more funds for building infrastructure.
- Modernize the outdated railway infrastructure to serve the needs of the common people and commuters.
- Transport facilities and connectivity between rural areas and the nearby town/city will be enhanced.
Digital Infrastructure
- Ensure that all students of classes IX to XII have mobile phones to ensure equitable access to learning.
- Assist state governments in establishing Internet-enabled public libraries in state, district, and taluk headquarters.
- Encourage and support the use of Artificial Intelligence, etc. which will create new and frontline jobs.
Energy Initiatives
- Promote solar-powered engines for tapping groundwater for agriculture.
- Set up the Green Transition Fund of India together with state governments and the private sector.
- Launch a Green New Deal Investment Programme focused on renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure, and the creation of green jobs.
Key Promises on Healthcare
BJP
- Strengthen the network of AIIMS to provide quality healthcare.
- Strengthen the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and upgrade district hospitals and other secondary healthcare centres.
- Increase the number of UG and PG seats in medical education.
- Expand the Jan Aushadhi Kendra network to provide high-quality low-cost medicines to citizens.
- Launch an Emergency And Trauma Care Mission to provide immediate and effective care to trauma patients.
- Enhance the scope and coverage of mental health initiatives like Manas and Manodarpan, and strengthen traditional means including Yoga and Meditation.
Congress
- Cashless insurance of up to 25 lakhs will be adopted for universal healthcare.
- One government medical college-cum-hospital in each district.
- All vacancies in medical and paramedical posts in public health institutions and all vacancies in medical colleges will be filled in three years.
- A second ASHA will be appointed in villages with a population of over 2,500.
- Full immunization of 100 percent of children within 5 years.
- A law making it an offence to commit acts of violence against doctors and other health professionals while performing their duties.
Key Promises on National Security, Foreign Policy
BJP
- Accelerate the development of robust infrastructure along the Indo-China, Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Myanmar borders.
- A series of technical, legal, and intelligence programmes to tackle the drug problem.
- Eliminating Left Wing Extremism in all forms.
- Implement CAA to give citizenship to all eligible persons.
- Launch a National Forensics Mission to strengthen the forensic infrastructure.
- Develop and implement robust cyber security policies.
- Further equip the Armed Forces and the Central Armed Police Forces with modern state-of-the-art weapons, equipment, and technology
- Consolidate Bharat’s position as a Voice of the Global South.
- Committed to seeking permanent membership in the UN Security Council.
- Establishment of India-Middle East-Europe Corridor to promote Bharat’s trade interests.
Congress
- Congress will scrap the Agnipath Scheme and return to the normal recruitment processes.
- Evolve suitable policies for hybrid warfare, data security, cyber security, financial security, communication security, and security of trade routes.
- The National Security Council (NSC) and the office of National Security Adviser (NSA) will be brought under the oversight of a select committee of Parliament.
- A National Economic Security Board under the NSC for digital/cybersecurity issues.
- One Rank One Pension (OROP) will be implemented as per the order of the UPA government, restore the disability pension and make it tax-free.
- Regulatory and penal provisions will be strengthened, and drug smugglers, traffickers, and
- their accomplices will be dealt with sternly.
- Fill the vacancies in the CAPF and achieve the full sanctioned strength.
- Work to restore the previous status quo on our borders with China.
- Engagement with Pakistan depends fundamentally on its willingness and ability to end cross-border terrorism.
Key Promises on Environment Protection
BJP
- Phase-wise improvement of health and cleanliness of all major rivers.
- Work towards achieving National Air Quality Standards in 60 Cities by 2029.
- Launch the Green Aravalli Project, a green corridor to protect and preserve biodiversity, and combat desertification.
- Expanding Green Credit Programme to fulfill the decarbonization requirements.
- Launch a series of programmes for safe disposal of e-waste.
Congress
- Constitute an independent Environment Protection and Climate Change Authority.
- Strengthen the National Clean Air Programme to urgently tackle the problem of air pollution.
- Work with state governments to stop the discharge of effluents into the rivers and water bodies of India.
- Water harvesting will be made mandatory. Desalination plants will be installed in all coastal areas.
- Discharge of any kind of effluent into rivers will be prohibited by law.
Key Promises for Governance Reforms
BJP
- Bringing Uniform Civil Code
- Formulating a National Litigation Policy for courts
- Making One Nation, One Election a Reality
- Expand the Karmyogi Scheme to cover all Central Government employees
- Accelerate e-Courts on Mission Mode
- Establish fast-track courts for quick disposal of pendency
- Creation of an Ecosystem for Alternate Dispute Resolution
Congress
- Review the Telecommunications Act, of 2023, and remove the provisions that restrict freedom of speech and expression and that violate the right to privacy.
- Two Houses of Parliament will each meet for 100 days in a year.
- Restore the Planning Commission and define its role and responsibilities.
- Strengthen the autonomy of constitutional bodies.
- All High Courts and Supreme Court vacancies will be filled within three years.
- Amend the Constitution to create two divisions in the Supreme Court: a Constitutional Court and a Court of Appeal.
A Brief Comparative Analysis- BJP Vs Congress Manifesto
| Sankalp Patra | Nyay Patra |
| Continuing and expanding current schemes to more citizens | New measures to tackle unemployment |
| Stress on reviving Culture and Heritage | Stress on Reviewing BJP’s Controversial Decisions |
| The vision of a world-class infrastructure | The vision of improving the basic infrastructure of rural, and urban areas |
| Nationalism-oriented | Social Justice-oriented |
Disclaimer- Only key issues and promises of BJP’s Sankalp Patra and Congress’ Nyay Patra are included here. For details, visit the official websites of the respective political parties.
