New Delhi: With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) set to form the government in the Capital, Delhiites can hope for a clean Yamuna, cleaner air by 2030, and redevelopment of garbage mountains at Ghazipur, Okhla and Bhalswa on the lines of Baansera Park, if the party works on mission mode to fulfill promises it made in its election manifesto.
“The BJP is committed to creating a pollution-free Delhi and cleaning up the Yamuna River. We will ensure that Delhi becomes one of the cleanest and greenest cities, and that the Yamuna regains its former glory,” the BJP said in its manifesto.
While counting of votes is still underway, data from the Election Commission of India (ECI) shows the BJP well past the majority mark of 36. This marks the party’s return to power in the Delhi Assembly after 1998. In a fervent effort to woo Delhi voters and counter the AAP’s populist welfare schemes, the BJP announced its own welfare schemes in its manifesto.
Addressing the lonstanding issues of air pollution and pollution in the Yamuna river, the BJP had promised to launch the ‘Delhi Clean Air Mission’, aimed at halving Delhi’s average AQI by 2030, and reducing number of days with poor AQI. The efforts will include deployment of road-sweeping and water sprinkling machines, controlling dust on streets by paving roads, and installing Wind Augmentation and Air Purifying Units (WAYU) at intersections.
As for the Yamuna, the BJP has promised that the Delhi government will collaborate with the central government to develop the Yamuna riverfront on the lines of the Sabarmati riverfront, ensuring 24×7 commercial establishments, interactive shows, theatres and other entertainment facilities along the riverbanks.
An annual Yamuna festival, complete treatment of wastewater from drains before it flows into the Yamuna, expansion of the capacity of sewage treatment plants, and promotion of biodiversity along Yamuna’s banks by creating green corridors, wetlands and riverbank buffer zones—all of this may be in store for the national capital.
“Our aim is to make Delhi the cleanest metro city in the country and secure the top rank in the Swachh Survekshan rankings,” the manifesto stated, listing down measures such as incentivising transition of 50 percent vehicles to electric or hybrid vehicles, and installing EV charging points in a bid to make Delhi a sustainable city.
The announcements also included Rs 2,500 per month for eligible women in Delhi, one-time financial assistance of Rs 21,000 along with nutritional kits for pregnant women, enhanced senior citizen pensions, LPG cylinders at Rs 500 for women from ‘poor’ families, one free cylinder each on the occasions of Holi and Deepawali, Rs 10 lakh life insurance for gig workers and labourers, a clean Yamuna, and 50,000 government jobs for the youth.
The BJP government even promised to introduce its ‘Anti-Romeo Squads’ in Delhi.
Reacting to the outcome of the assembly election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X that the karyakartas deserve the credit for this “outstanding result”.
“It is our guarantee that we will leave no stone unturned in developing Delhi, improving the overall quality of life for the people and ensuring that Delhi has a prime role to play in building a Viksit Bharat,” he wrote.
The party had released the Viksit Delhi Sankalp Patra 2025—A Roadmap for a Brighter Future for Delhi, which laid out key promises for ‘Viksit Delhi’ (developed Delhi).
The first of these promises stated that not only would existing government schemes continue, but they would also be made “more effective” by eliminating corruption.
This manifesto also set the agenda for the government’s first cabinet meeting. For instance, the party assured that in its first cabinet meeting, it would implement the central government’s Ayushman Bharat Yojana to provide free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh, with the state government providing an additional cover of Rs 5 lakh for ‘poor’ families. It also pledged to grant land ownership rights to refugees from Pakistan. “This will free these families from the long-standing uncertainty they have been facing,” it said.
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Investigating ‘scams’, something for everybody
The BJP manifesto also promised to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe alleged “scams” related to the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), mohalla clinics, school classrooms, the excise policy, the Delhi Jal Board, and other departments.
The BJP manifesto also had assurances for several categories of beneficiaries.
These included establishment of Atal Canteens in JJ clusters, allowing people living in slum clusters to get a meal for Rs 5, and the opening of 13,000 sealed shops in the national capital. In addition, it promised housing for JJ cluster residents in areas like Kalkaji and Ashok Vihar under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), and an additional 3.5 lakh pucca houses for JJ cluster residents and underprivileged communities in collaboration with the central government.
For students, the party vowed to provide free education from kindergarten (KG) to postgraduate (PG) level for underprivileged students, financial assistance of Rs 15,000 for those preparing for competitive exams, and a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000 for Scheduled Caste (SC) students pursuing technical and vocational courses.
It also pledged electric scooters free of cost for “meritorious girl students” from Delhi government schools after they pass Class 12.
The manifesto also included a 50 percent concession on professional course fees for students from underprivileged families, displaced families from Kashmir, and families affected by the 1984 riots. For victims of the 1984 riots, it also assured the launch of a ‘welfare package’, which would include an increase in pension for widows from Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000, as well as scholarships.
For Purvanchal migrants, the BJP promised to introduce special festival trains and interstate bus services for major festivals like Chhath Puja, “to ensure an affordable and comfortable journey.”
For auto and taxi drivers, street vendors, washermen, textile workers, and domestic workers, the BJP promised to establish ‘Welfare Boards’, which would provide life insurance of up to Rs 10 lakh, accident insurance of up to Rs 5 lakh, and scholarships for their children for higher education. For farmers, the BJP pledged that, if voted to power, the government would ensure 100 percent registration of all eligible farmers under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana and increase annual assistance from Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000.
The party also announced welfare schemes for accredited media professionals and lawyers, including life insurance of up to Rs 10 lakh, and health and accident insurance of up to Rs 10 lakh. Additionally, to promote culture and heritage, the BJP promised to develop a grand Mahabharata Corridor, launch an Annual Delhi Winter Festival, establish a National Gallery of Traditional Art modelled on the National Gallery of Modern Art, host an annual Grand Sanskrit Festival, and set up a gallery dedicated to freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.
(Edited by Radifah Kabir)
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