Context :
EC: Parties must declare what ‘freebies’ will cost .. TOI … 22 Mar 2024
Extract :
Supreme Court, during past hearings on a clutch of PILs including the lead one by Ashwini Upadhyay, stressed that it can’t stop political parties from announcing welfare measures for citizens but agreed to distinguish them from irrational freebies like loan waivers, free TVs, among others, which strain budget of states, many of them facing financial constraints.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has devised two data-hungry forms which EC proposes be filled by each political party, explaining financial implications of each freebie announced ahead of polls.
Most parties have not responded to EC’s missive while major parties like Congress, AAP and CPM have opposed any fetter on their decision to announce sops.
Form A - intends to mandate each party to :
> list out freebies,
> number of target group people,
> expenditure per person on availing the benefit, and
> estimated total expenditure for each freebie.
The promised schemes may include :
Ø schemes/welfare measures such as distribution of free laptops for students, consumer durables, gadgets,
Ø loan waiver for farmers,
Ø free water, electricity, and transport.
Form B :
Breakup of financial implications, as proposed to be sought in Form B, could cause consternation among political parties.
A party would also have to put in writing :
Ø the estimated amount required for implementing its electoral promises and
Ø specify the measures, including TAXATION, to be taken to , for generating the requisite finances , over and above the BE / RE
If EC proposal is found workable, political parties will have to engage economists to answer queries about :
> impact of financing funding of freebies on fiscal health of state/country,
> its effect on debt servicing, and
> whether the party, on coming to power, will resort to additional borrowings.
Dear Shri Rajiv Kumarji ,
( Chief Election Commissioner / cec@eci.gov.in ) :
At the outset, congratulations for your initiative in bringing transparency in respect of implications of promises being made in Election Manifestos
I have no idea as to the exact “ data-fields “ of the Forms A and B
But going through an Election Manifesto of any political party, requires determination / perseverance !
Just try going through 45 pages of “ Election Manifesto – 2019 “ of BJP
For enabling general public to grasp its “ essence “ quickly and easily, I re-arranged it as shown in my following blog / email
I urge you to PERSUADE all political parties to adopt this SIMPLIFIED FORMAT ( of course , after incorporating the requirement of your Form A / Form B
With regards,
Hemen Parekh
www.HemenParekh.ai / 23 March 2024
Ø Simple Summary of Sankalp ………………….. 10 Apr 2019
SIMPLE SUMMARY of SANKALP PATRA ( BJP MANIFESTO / 2019 )
What does the Item Description denote ? |
Serial No | Item Description | OUTPUT ( target ) | METHOD / MEANS ( for achieving target ) | INPUT (Resource ) |
Nation 08 | Smart Fencing on all borders | ✓ | ||
Farmers | Double Farmers’ Income | ✓ | ||
01 | Expand coverage of PM-KSNY to all farmers | ✓ | ||
02 | Pension Scheme for small-marginal Farmers | ✓ | ||
03 | Rs 25 akh*cr investment in Agri-rural sector | ✓ | ||
04 | Interest free Kisan Credit Card Loans | ✓ | ||
08 | Launch Oil Seeds Mission | ✓ | ||
09 | Warehouse Network across the country | ✓ | ||
10 / 1 | Organic Farming in addi 20 lakh hectare | ✓ | ||
10 / 2 | Launch dedicated e-com portal | ✓ | ||
11 | Will double the honey production from 11500 tons | ✓ | ||
12 | Realize 100 % irrigation potential of the country | ✓ | ||
13 | 1 crore hectare agri land under micro-irrigation | ✓ | ||
15 | Create 10000 new Farmer Produce Organizations | ✓ | ||
16 | Set up mechanism for of direct mktg of Vegetables | ✓ | ||
17 | Create a Mobile App system for Agri-Implements | ✓ | ||
21 | Complete digitization of land records | ✓ | ||
ECONOMY | ||||
01 | Make India 3rd largest economy by 2030 | ✓ | ||
03 | Will continue with policy of lowering tax rates | ✓ | ||
04 | Will continue with simplification of GST process | ✓ | ||
06 | By 2024, will invest Rs 100 L*Cr in Infrastructure | ✓ | ||
08 | Will take Ease of Doing Biz rank into top 50 | ✓ | ||
Will amend Companies Act | ✓ | |||
Will announce New Industrial Policy | ✓ | |||
We will invest in creating clusters / networks | ✓ | |||
09 | Increase loans to MSME from Rs 19,000 Cr to 1,00,000 Cr by 2024 | ✓ | ||
10 | Install 150 Technology Centre by 2024 | ✓ | ||
11 | High level Skilling to more than 6 lakh / year | ✓ | ||
12 | Will establish National Traders’ Welfare Board | ✓ | ||
Create National Policy for Retail Trade | ✓ | |||
Accident Insurance of Rs 10 L for GST traders | ✓ | |||
Scheme for Credit Card for registered merchants | ✓ | |||
13 | For Entrepreneurs, collateral-free credit of Rs 50 L | ✓ | ||
14 | Easing regulatory requirement for Start ups | ✓ | ||
Establish 50,000 new Start-ups by 2024 | ✓ | |||
Create 100 Innovation Zones in Urban Local Bodies | ✓ | |||
Set up 500 new Incubators /Accelerators by 2024 | ✓ | |||
Bring in Innovation-newer Technologies – Global practices and Skills | ✓ | |||
15 | Create Seed Start up Fund of Rs 20,000 Cr | ✓ | ||
17 | Will set up Entrepreneurial Northeast Scheme | ✓ | ||
INFRASTRUCTURE | ||||
05 | Will set up 5 Regional Centre of Excellence | ✓ | ||
06 | Will launch National Urban Mobility Mission | ✓ | ||
07 | Will ensure 50 cities with strong Metro Network | ✓ | ||
10 | Will form new Ministry of Water for linking rivers | ✓ | ||
11 | Will launch Jal Jivan Mission | ✓ | ||
Will ensure piped water for every house by 2024 | ✓ | |||
13 | Will construct 60,000 Km of Nat Highways in 5 yrs | ✓ | ||
14 | Will double the length of Nat Highways by 2022 | ✓ | ||
19 | Conversion of viable rail tracks to broad gauge by 2022 | ✓ | ||
20 | Electrification of all rail tracks by 2022 | ✓ | ||
22 | Will complete dedicated freight corridors by 2022 | ✓ | ||
24 | Equip all main stations with Wi-Fi by 2022 | ✓ | ||
HEALTH | ||||
01 | Set up 150,000 Health and Wellness Centre by 2022 | ✓ | ||
02 | Create Pricing Policy for medical devices | ✓ | ||
03 | Set up 75 Medical Institutes by 2022 | ✓ | ||
04 | Double MBBS/Specialist doctors by 2024 | ✓ | ||
07 | Full immunization for all children and pregnant women by 2022 | ✓ | ||
08 | Eliminate TB by 2025 | ✓ | ||
GOOD GOVERNANCE | ||||
01 | Build consensus for simultaneous elections | ✓ | ||
02 | Ensure a Common Voter List for ALL elections | ✓ | ||
06 | Will formulate a Model Police Act | ✓ | ||
09 | Enact legislation for Int Fin Services Centre Autho | ✓ | ||
11 | Set up Committee for Easing Citizens’ Interface with Govt ( CECIG ) | ✓ | ||
12 | Ensure time-bound delivery of public services / implement the Right to Service | ✓ | ||
13 | Will launch a new Science Mission for development of cutting edge technologies | ✓ | ||
14 | Will set up National Research Foundation | ✓ | ||
15 | Will launch a Language Translation Mission | ✓ | ||
16 | Will initiate a Genome Mission for human health | ✓ | ||
18 | Will get latest technologies to transform waste to Energy and Wealth | ✓ | ||
19 | Will start “ National Program for Rapid Research in Socially Contextual Technologies “ | ✓ | ||
21 | Will convert National Clean Air Plan into a Mission / will reduce pollution in 102 cities by 35% (2024) | ✓ | ||
YUVA BHARAT | ||||
02 | Will launch new scheme to provide collateral-free credit upto Rs 50 lakh for Entrepreneurs | ✓ | ||
Will set up “ Entrepreneurial NorthEast “ Scheme | ✓ | |||
Increase Mudra loan beneficiaries to 30 Crore | ✓ | |||
Create Seed Startup Fund of Rs 20,000 Cr | ✓ | |||
03 | Will incentivize/reward self-organized groups | ✓ | ||
04 | Support large-scale internship programme for youth in urban local bodies | ✓ | ||
07 | Will establish National Sports Education Board | ✓ | ||
EDUCATION FOR ALL | ||||
02 | Will initiate a Prime Minister Innovative Learning Program for talented children | ✓ | ||
03 | Will establish National Institutes of Teachers’ Training | ✓ | ||
05 | Will open 200 Kendriya and Navodaya Vidyalayas by 2024 | ✓ | ||
06 | Will increase no of seats by 50 % in Law / Eng / Science and Mgmt Institutions | ✓ | ||
08 | Will set up Arts / Culture / Music University / | ✓ | ||
Hospitality – Tourism Univ / Police University | ✓ | |||
09 | Will formulate new regulatory mechanism to provide autonomy to quality institutions | ✓ | ||
10 | Create 50 “Institutions of Excellence” by 2024 | ✓ | ||
13 | Will incentivize industry to collaborate with Scientific Labs and Technological Institutions | ✓ | ||
14 | Providing access to leading journals , free of cost, to students from National Digital Library of India | ✓ | ||
15 | Will formulate “ National Policy for Reskilling and Upskilling” for Industry-responsive workforce | ✓ | ||
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT | ||||
03 | Will formulate a “Women in Workforce” road map | ✓ | ||
04 | Preferential govt purchase for MSME employing at least 50 % women in their workforce | ✓ | ||
05 | Increase no of Child Care Facilities by 300 % by 2024 | ✓ | ||
06 | Bill to abolish Triple Talaq / Nikah Halala | ✓ | ||
08 | Reduce malnutrition level by 10 % by 2024 | ✓ | ||
09 | Sanitary pads @ Re 1 for all women and girls | ✓ | ||
14 | 33% reservation for women in parliament | ✓ | ||
INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT | ||||
03 | Every block with more than 50 % ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons will have an Eklavya Model Residential School | ✓ | ||
05 | Will establish 50,000 “ Van Dhan Vikas Kendras” | ✓ | ||
07 | Will bring down to a single digit, number of families living below poverty line | ✓ | ||
08 | Pucca house for poor by 2022 | ✓ | ||
09 | Provide subsidized sugar ( @ Rs 13/kg/family ) to 80 crore families | ✓ | ||
10 | Ensure everyone has bank facility within 5 km | ✓ | ||
11 | Further revise the tax slabs and tax benefits | ✓ | ||
23 | Expand PM-Shram Yogi Maandhan for shopkeeper | ✓ | ||
24 | Create PM-Kalanidhi Yojana for traditional arts | ✓ | ||
25 | Will formulate Child Protection Framework | ✓ | ||
ACTION PLAN for IMPLEMENTATION :
· Divide / break-up the Sankalp Patra , into individual items ( within 10 days of assuming office )
· Assign each item implementation to ONE minister ( no collective responsibility / one man accountable )
· Within 10 days of “ Assignment “, ministers to submit following “ Sankalp to Sampanna “ form to the PMO and , after approval , publish on its own web site :
SANKALP to SAMPANNA
Sankalp Item | Full description |
Targets | Quantitative / Measureable targets for each of next 5 years |
Monitoring Agency | Name of “ government-independent”, THIRD PARTY agency ( Eg : Think Tank / Academic Institution / World Bank / IMF / International Rating Agency etc ) |
Data Sources | List of “ Govt Records “ accessible to the Agency |
Publication | Web sites of Ministry / Agency to display “ Target vs Achievement “ , quarterly |
Public Feedback | Online / mobile based ,“ Survey / Opinion Poll “ for public to provide its own “ rating “ (1-5 scale ) of the Minister’s performance ( once a quarter ) |
10 April 2019
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