Economic
Highlights
New Delhi, 30 May 2022
BJP Eyes 2047
TARGETS POOR, EASE OF
LIVING
By Shivaji Sarkar
In the 75th year of
Independence, the BJP is setting the goals to work continuously till the
centenary, 2047, riding on its strong eight years of reign ‘ensuring ease of
living’ for the poor and the middle class.
The goal is set by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi at his address to party workers in Jaipur and the strategy finalised for “Sewa,
Sushashan and Gareeb Kalyan” (Service, good rule and welfare of poor) campaign.
The party and the government carved out an intense blitzkrieg of publicity,
one-to-one contact with a view to capturing all the States that are not in its
fold. Too ambitious, but with 744 central schemes and 72 sponsored programmes
and millions of cadre across the States, it finds the task tough but not impossible.
Even the march to Dakshin (South) is
part of BJP’s yatra. Its senior dedicated leaders are carving out strategies in
Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The Rs 31,500 core project foundation
stones laid by Modi in Chennai, target Tamil Nadu. But would Chief Minister
MK Stalin let it happen! None knows as the proverbial saying politics makes strange
bedfellows.
The massive campaign is to make all believe
in its economic feat, improvements in living standards, digital economy,
inclusion of the poor, a caring government for a grand success by 2024 in Lok
Sabha and at least 16 States that go to the polls in the next two years.
The thrust of the BJP in government or the
party would be to focus on the wider benefits that programmes such as Direct Benefit
Transfer, PM Kisan and Swachha Bharat, universal vaccination, various pension
and employment schemes, including Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee.
The core would be nine-plus programmes that
have touched the neo-aspirant classes. They reach the households and are said
to make qualitative difference to the living conditions. It is not
aspiration but sheer basic needs such as Har Ghar Jal (Jal Jeevan
Mission), Har Ghar Shauchalay (Swach Bharat Mission), Har Ghar Bijli
(Saubhagya Yojana), Har Ghar Gas Cylinder (Ujjwala Yojana ), Har Ghar
Ration (Gareeb Kalyan Yojana), Har Ghar Bank account (Jan Dhan
Yojana), Har Ghar Swasthya (Ayushman Yojana), Har Ghar Teeka
(Largest Vaccine Drive), Har Ghar Pakka Ghar (PM Aawas Yojana).
The schemes are reaching grass root levels
and stated to better lives of the poor. Even separate meets with different
caste and dalit groups are planned. The BJP claims such strategies have led to
shifting of the eight per cent extreme poor minority votes in Uttar Pradesh
elections. The Rashtriya Muslim Morcha is drawing crowds, financial support to
the madrassas, the party hopes should help them catch the young.
Is GDP growth or inflation not a problem? The
party does not believe so. Growth has been around 8.2 per cent, even 7.2
predicted by the Reserve Bank of India this year is the world’s highest. This
apart in real terms GDP has doubled despite the pandemic. People have accepted
7.79 per cent inflation as normal. This is less than the US inflation, now at
an unprecedented high of 8.3 per cent. Inflation during the UPA rule was one
reason for the NDA coming to power. But its publicity management has blunted
the criticism as also sweetened by the free food dole.
The income of the common man
has also almost doubled. It’s not untrue but a recent PM’s Economic Advisory Council
report mentions that five to seven per cent of the country’s income comes from
the top one per cent, while 15 per cent earn less than Rs 5000 a month. Top ten
per cent earn Rs 25,000 a month, about 30 to 35 per cent of the total income.
The report card says that the MSP
for wheat in 2014 was Rs 130 per quintal and rice Rs 1310 per quintal, in 2022
wheat is Rs 2015 and rice 1940; farmers’ monthly income has risen to Rs 10428
from Rs 6426 in 2014. Employment rate was 42.8 core and now 39.98 crore; 3.4
per cent were unemployed and now it is 8.7 per cent. According
to Pew research, the middle class shrank by 35 million, while the number of
people who were pushed to poverty was 75 million because of Covid-19
pandemic-led recession.
It may be one of the longest canvassing and
campaigning for a party that has to capture a number of States held by the Opposition.
Some like Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao heading TSR has visibly
posed a challenge. Parties such as the AAP are eyeing Himachal and Gujarat,
going to hustings in December this year. Ten States will form new governments
in 2023 and four States that are to have election by June 2024 may cast vote
with the Lok Sabha elections.
An election is a tough battle so the party is
taking its publicity blitz to the booth level, according to BJP President JP
Nadda. India’s international standing, Prime Minister’s charisma in foreign
lands, the success at Quad or the Pacific meet, et al would be communicated to
the people. In addition would be the message of possible wheat exports,
managing critical power situation and creation of jobs through Mudra, Skill
India, Rs 15 lakh crore Jandhan, the latest National Family Health Survey
figures about the amelioration of the people’s living conditions, etc. Hindutva
may be the icing, subtly.
The BJP’s stress is more on man-to-man
contact, through lakhs of its party workers up to the remotest villages, to
explain to people what the party has done for them beyond the free food dole
that is sustaining 80 crore people. Thousands of groups would carry on
re-education of the masses in all States.
How big is the splash is anybody’s guess. The
UPA government too had splurged Rs 2658 crore as per official statements on
publicity. During the eight years, the BJP has also spent a substantial sum. To
cite the extent it has, it would be suffice to say that an election to last
Delhi assembly had a splurge of Rs 170 crore by BJP and Opposition put together. The cost was Rs 5500 crore in 2017 UP elections,
according to Centre for Media Studies (CMS). This surpassed Rs 8000 crore in
2021 UP elections, according to reports. In 2021 West Bengal elections, the
publicity expenses were estimated around Rs 500 crore. An early
start by the BJP will pressurise its opponents to match the splurge to remain
relevant.
The Central government spent Rs 1698 crore on
publicity and advertisements between 2018 and 2021 for print and electronic
media. Plus, the party has a different State-wise budget. The campaign for the
next 25 years is ambitious, not easy and aims at changing the gamut of Indian
politics. The cost immaterial! ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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