New Delhi, April 8: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said here on Monday Rs 25 lakh crore would be invested to improve productivity in the farm sector and rural areas, if it re-voted to power. Invoking Mahatma Gandhi's vision of 'Gram Swaraj', the party said it would ensure equitable access to resources for everyone by 2022. The BJP released its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections with the tagline "Sankalpit Bharat, Sashakt Bharat" (Committed India, Strong India) and has promised to connect every Gram Panchayat via a high-speed optical fibre network by 2022 under the Bharatnet initiative.

The manifesto was released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah at the party headquarters here. The BJP has also pledged to provide by 2022 a pucca house to every family, which is either living in a kuchha house or had no access to housing. A massive 'Rural Road Upgradation Programme' will be undertaken to connect centres of education, healthcare and markets with hinterlands to promote rural growth, it said. Lok Sabha Elections 2019: BJP Promises Pension, Extra Income for Farmers in Its Manifesto.

According to manifesto, the BJP will ensure 100 per cent disposal of liquid waste water and reuse of waste water. There would be a special focus on conservation of rural water bodies and ground water recharge to ensure sustainability of water supply, it said. The party said the speed of constructing rural roads doubled and 90 per cent rural road connectivity was achieved during the Modi government's tenure.

The party said said it would support creation of a mini-stadium in each sub-district, with the participation of state governments, to encourage sports and to make sporting infrastructure available in the rural areas. The BJP also said it will ensure LPG connection to all poor rural households.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 08, 2019 10:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).