Bihar assembly election: BJP manifesto promises free COVID vaccination, 19 lakh jobs

PATNA: To counter RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s poll promise of 10 lakh government jobs, the BJP has promised to create 19 lakh job opportunities across different sectors in the state in five years, if the NDA is voted to power. This was part of the BJP’s election manifesto released on Thursday by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Patna in the presence of senior leaders Bhupender Yadav, Nityanand Rai, Ashwini Choubey, Ravi Shankar Prasad and others.

The manifesto, which comes a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi hits the campaign trail in the state, also promises free Covid-19 vaccination for all Bihar citizens if the party comes to power.

“We want to assure the people of Bihar that as soon as the scientists clear a vaccine for mass production, we will give free vaccination for the people of Bihar. This is our first promise in the Sankalp Patra,” Sitharaman announced at a media briefing in Patna.


In the 12-page document, the party outlined a breakup of the sectors where these jobs would be created. Three lakh new teachers would be recruited and Bihar will be developed as the next generation IT hub which would create five lakh jobs. One lakh new jobs would be given in the health sector.

Around 1,000 new farmer producer organisations (FPOs) would be added to develop a supply chain for farm produce which will create 10 lakh new jobs.

Bearing the tagline ‘BJP hai to bharosa hai’, the party is leveraging on the trust enjoyed by Narendra Modi among the masses and the pro-people measures like the Jan Dhan scheme and Ujjwala Yojana.

Among the other promises, the party said technical and medical education in the state would be offered in Hindi. The party has promised to offer MSP for lentils, after paddy and wheat.

Sitharaman said people in Bihar are politically sensitive and well informed. “They know and understand the promises a party makes. If anyone raises questions on our manifesto, we can answer them with confidence as we fulfil what we promised,” she said. “Nitish Kumar will be the Chief Minister of Bihar for the next five years. Under his rule, Bihar will become a progressive and developed state of India.”