Team Herald
PANJIM: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is banking on its social security schemes and infrastructure development to woo voters.
BJP’s election campaign has reached an active mode with Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, State unit President Vinay Tendulkar, Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik, MP Narendra Sawaikar and others addressing corner meetings across the State.
“During our rule of five years we have touched each and every segment of society. The social welfare schemes and infrastructure projects across the State has helped us touch every voter,” Tendulkar told media persons.
He said that every household in the State has benefitted by government schemes. “Be it Ladli Lakshmi, Griha Adhar or subsidy on petrol. Everyone has been taken care of,” he said. The party now wants to make best out of these schemes to garner votes.
Of the 36 constituencies it has fielded candidates in, the party is optimistic of winning 26. “Over 46,000 daughters of Goa were empowered through Ladli Lakshmi scheme. The scheme was successfully implemented providing Rs 1 lakh to each daughter. Till date Rs 460 crore has been spent on the scheme,” he said. He added, “Over 1.5 lakh Goan housewives are smiling with Griha Adhar benefits every month.”
Tendulkar said they had special focus towards senior citizens who were given life of dignity through Dayanand Social Security Scheme.
On the infrastructure front, BJP is taking credit for four and six laning of highways spending over Rs 10,000 crore. The party said that work on Patradevi-Pollem National Highway 4-6 laning is in full swing. “New state of the art Panjim-Old Goa road completed. Major road junctions, intersections have been beautified and widened. Several main roads are being widened and airport road is fitted with LED lights which has become a major attraction,” he said.
The garbage treatment plant located Saligao has also featured on party’s achievement list with BJP assuring that Goa will become garbage free and that a similar plant has been proposed in Curchorem.
The BJP president also pointed out Goa’s tourism prospects are set to touch the skies with the new airport at Mopa.
Speaking about the third bridge on River Mandovi and second on Zuari, he said that North-South connectivity will become stronger with new cable-stayed bridges over Mandovi and Zuari. “The 3.91 km long four lane cable-stayed bridge over Mandovi river and 1.84 km long eight lane cable-stayed bridge over Zuari river are being constructed. They will be joined by three flyovers.”
On the sports infrastructure front, the party mentioned new stadiums like Dr Shyamaprasad Mukherjee indoor multipurpose stadium at Taleigao plateau, Bambolim Athletic Stadium, Peddem indoor stadium and others.
