The Mahayuti alliance on Sunday released its manifesto for the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, his deputy Eknath Shinde, Union Minister of State Ramdas Athawale and BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde were among the key dignitaries who attended the manifesto launch event.
The grand alliance named its manifesto "MahaYuti Vachan Nama".
The State Election Commission has scheduled the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation elections, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), to be held on January 15. The counting of votes and announcement of results for the civic polls will take place on January 16.
Key promises made in the Mahayuti poll manifesto:
- Freeze on water tax (water charges) hikes for the next five years.
- Increase Mumbai’s water supply by completing the Gargai, Pinjal and Damanganga projects within the next five years.
- Implementation of a Small Industries Policy.
- Fast-tracking redevelopment projects; speedy implementation of announced schemes related to making Mumbai pagdi-free and resolving funnel zone issues.
- BEST buses to become fully electric by 2029.
- 50 per cent concession for women passengers in BEST buses.
- Increase the number of BEST buses from 5,000 to 10,000.
- Interest-free loans up to Rs 5 lakh to make “Ladki Bahin” beneficiaries self-reliant and to help set up small businesses.
- Make Mumbai free of Rohingya and Bangladeshi illegal immigrants.
- Allocation of Rs 17,000 crore under environmental conservation schemes.
- Establishment of a dedicated Tourism Department to promote tourism.
- Special programmes and financial provisions for Marathi youth on the occasion of Balasaheb Thackeray’s birth centenary.
- Construction of cold storage facilities for fish vendors in BMC markets.
- Renovation and redevelopment of all vegetable markets.
- Establishment of a Fish Import and Export Centre.
- Setting up of Startup Incubation Centres.
- Establishment of an independent Marathi Language Department in the municipal corporation.
- Creation of Marathi Art Centres and study libraries.
- Preparation of a Development Plan (Vision Document) for a developed Mumbai targeting the year 2034.
