Maha Elections 2019: Reduction in power tariff, 1000 subsidised eateries across state in Shiv Sena's manifesto

Mumbai: Shiv Sena released its manifesto for the Maharashtra Assembly elections here on Saturday with plethora of promises to woo voters including establishing a chain of 1000 'Bhojnalaya' (eateries) across the state that would serve quality and nutritious food at meagre cost of Rs 10.

The other major poll promises of the BJP ally are reduction in domestic electricity rates by 30 percent for up to 300 unit consumption, special bus services in villages, Rs 10,000 per year as financial aid to the needy farmers, farm loan waiver, fixing price of fertilizers, making individual farmers beneficiaries of crop insurance scheme.

"One thousand 'Bhojnalaya' would be set up across Maharashtra. They will provide a nutritious meal at Rs 10. These centralised kitchens in every district will be managed and operated by women," said Aditya Thackeray, while addressing a press conference with party chief Uddhav Thackeray on the occasion of manifesto release.

"For the village students who face immense trouble in reaching schools and colleges, special bus services would be started in villages," said Thackeray. "We will also give Rs 10,000 per year to the needy farmers and ensure that individuals are covered under the crop insurance scheme contrary to the present system where a farmer gets benefit only when the crop of the whole village is damaged," he said.

"We will also ensure that prices of fertilizers remain constant for the 5 years," said Thackeray. While the BJP is yet to come up with its manifesto for the Maharashtra Assembly polls, the Congress-NCP alliance on October 7 released their manifesto promising reduced penalty under Motor Vehicles Act (MVA), immediate farm loan



waiver, and zero-interest loan for higher education among others.

BJP is contesting Maharashtra Assembly polls in alliance with Shiv Sena and RPI while Congress is in alliance with Sharad Pawar led NCP. Maharashtra will go to polls on October 21 and the counting of votes will take place on October 24.

'Every statement from authorities about situation in Kashmir is bald-faced lie': Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday accused the authorities of lying about the ground-reality of Kashmir. "Every statement from the authorities about the situation in Kashmir is a bald-faced lie. The political 'leaders' released now as 'goodwill' gestures were not even 'arrested' in the first place," Mufti tweeted.

On Thursday, she had questioned heavy deployment of troops in the Kashmir Valley after the abrogation of Article 370 and alleged the Centre of using forces for political mileage. The statement from the last chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir came at a time when the Block Development Council elections are just around the corner in the region.

"A democratic India that always fought for liberty and equality is today being questioned ... Governments will come and go but what about the damage done to the reputation and moral fabric of this country," Mehbooba tweeted on Thursday. The Block Development Council elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir on October 24. The counting of the votes will begin at 3 pm on the same day.

Notably, these elections are the first electoral process in the region ever since Article 370 was repealed in August.