Party Promises Increase in Amount of Ladki Bahin Yojana to ₹2100, Farm Loan Waivers, ₹25000 per hectare Bonus for Paddy Farmers, 2.5 million Jobs & Construction of 45000 ‘panand’ roads in rural areas

Pune: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) released its election manifesto for the Maharashtra assembly elections today. The party also unveiled constituency-specific manifestos for all the assembly seats it is contesting. The manifesto was unveiled at a series of events; NCP National President and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar led the release in Baramati, while State President Sunil Tatkare released the manifesto in Mumbai, and Working President Praful Patel released it in Gondiya. 

In his home constituency, Baramati, Ajit Pawar unveiled both the party’s state-level manifesto and constituency-manifesto for Baramati. In a first, the party launched the party’s manifesto for all the assembly constituencies it is contesting. NCP candidates and local leaders released the poll manifestos in their respective constituencies across all the assembly constituencies. Speaking on the occasion, Ajit Pawar said, “we will present the New Maharashtra Vision within 100 days of government formation.”

The party has promised to increase the amount under Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana from existing ₹1,500 per month to ₹2,100 per month. This initiative will be the largest monthly DBT transfer in Maharashtra’s history providing benefits of ₹25,000 per year to over 2.3 crore women.

NCP’s manifesto consists of 11 new promises, talks about increasing the old age pension from ₹1500 to ₹2100 per month. For farmers, the party has promised to raise the Shetkari Sanman Nidhi from ₹12,000 to ₹15,000 per year, combining support from both the central and state governments. The manifesto also talks about waiving the farmers loan and giving 20% additional subsidy for all crops sold under MSP. Besides this, NCP has also given assurance of ₹25000 per hectare bonus for paddy farmers.

“We have resolved to build more than 45000 ‘panand’ roads in rural parts of Maharashtra. This is the biggest plan to develop the rural agricultural infrastructure’, the manifesto reads.

Other promises include a commitment to create 2.5 million jobs and provide monthly stipends of ₹10,000 to 1 million students through training. A promise of ₹15,000 monthly salary for Anganwadi and ASHA workers, commitment to reduce electricity bills by 30% while prioritizing solar and renewable energy. “We vow to implement measures that will curb the prices of essential commodities, making them more affordable for everyone”, read the manifesto document.

The simultaneous launch of the manifesto in all the constituencies contested by the NCP transformed the manifesto release into a mega high-tech event. The top leaders of the party joined the manifesto event via video conferencing, and a new campaign song was also launched for the Maharashtra elections.