Making a bid to woo all sections to return to power, the AAP today made a host of promises in its manifesto like 24X7 “affordable” power supply, free Wi-Fi across the city, installation of at least 10 lakh CCTV cameras for women’s security, making water a legal right, and slashing VAT significantly.
Releasing the manifesto, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said the document was not just another electoral document but the party’s “Geeta, Bible, Quran and Guru Granth Sahib” which it will implement point-by-point if voted to power.
“We want a Delhi where everyone will be proud of calling himself or herself its resident. Where every class grows equally, irrespective of caste or religion,” Kejriwal said adding the manifesto is a product of four months of “intense research”.
Among the significant announcements in the manifesto, the party promised to push for Delhi’s statehood and bring down the VAT charges in Delhi to the lowest level among all States and Union Territories within five years.
In order to ensure women security, the party promised to install 10-15 lakh CCTV cameras all over the city along with ensuring a security guard in every bus.
“If 15,000 CCTV cameras can be installed for Barack Obama why can’t the same be done for our mothers and sisters? We will install 10-15 lakh CCTV cameras along with putting a security guard in every bus,” the former Chief Minister said.
He said the existing Home Guards will be deployed in this respect and their employment will no longer be contractual.
He said free Wi-Fi was a “basic necessity” in today’s times and the party will make sure that every citizen can connect to the Internet wherever they are.
The manifesto said the party will not allow FDI in retail in Delhi.
The manifesto also reiterates the party’s long-standing promise of slashing the power tariff by half till the audit of private discoms.
“We will slash the power tariff by half. After that we will ensure a rigorous audit of the private discoms which have had a free run till now,” Kejriwal said, adding water availability will be made a “legal right”.