Creation of 50 lakh new jobs; division of Chennai Corporation into three municipal corporations similar to New Delhi and revival of Legislative Council are some of the highlights of the BJP’s election manifesto ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections on April 6.

The party said, as in the case of farmers, fishermen too will get an assistance of ₹6,000 per year. Further, 12 lakh acres of Panchami land will be recovered and handed back to Scheduled Caste people, says manifesto released by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and VK Singh in the presence of BJP State President L Murugan.

The BJP assured total prohibition in the State and the employees of TASMAC, the liquor handling government agency, will be transferred to other departments, it said.

Budget for agriculture

There will be a separate budget for agriculture, crop loans will be given at zero per cent interest and loans for agricultural items will be at low rates of interest. A five-member Farm Products Pricing Committee will be formed to review and fix the price/incentive of agricultural products, the manifesto said.

On infrastructure development, under the Jal-Jeevan Mission, clean piped drinking water will be provided for free to every household within 2022.

In Dharapuram (from where the BJP state chief Murugan is contesting), the Kolathupalayam cooperative sugar factory that is locked down will be reopened immediately. Further, the long pending Erode-Dharapuram-Palani broad gauge line will be immediately started under the 50:50 scheme.

The party also said that sand mining will be banned for five years to prevent erosion of riverbeds and to improve ground water table. During this time import of sand for construction will be allowed.

Other assurances

On river interlinking, the BJP said that steps will be taken immediately to start the ₹60,361 crore Central scheme of interlinking of Godavari-Krishna-Penna-Cauvery rivers. The Cauvery-Gundaru excess water interlinking; Thamirabarani-Karumeniyaru-Nambi Yaru interlinking and South Penna-Cheyyaru interlinking projects will also be expedited.

The party also said that three CFL and LED bulbs would be distributed to every ration card holder free of cost to emphasise energy conservation; a rubber park will be set up in Kanyakumari district (the BJP is contesting the by-election here); and State government agencies, departments will be instructed to purchase 30 per cent of their requirement from MSMEs, the party said.

The administration of Hindu temples will be handed over to a separate board comprising Hindus of Tamil Nadu, the manifesto said.