Thiruvananthapuram, March 31 The NDA, led by the BJP, released its manifesto on Tuesday, promising financial benefits for needy women and those over 70 years of age, two free LPG cylinders per year for poor households, an AIIMS for Kerala, and protection of places of worship in the state.
The manifesto, released by BJP national president Nitin Nabin at an NDA event here, also promised a high-speed railway network connecting the state capital with Kannur, 20,000 litres of free water for every household, and "water for Tamil Nadu and safety for Kerala" with regard to the Mullaperiyar dam.
The manifesto stated that every woman from poor and Below Poverty Line (BPL) households will be provided with a Bhakshya Arogya Suraksha card with a monthly recharge of Rs 2,500, which they can use at pharmacies and grocery stores.
In addition, a welfare pension of Rs 3,000 per month will be provided to women heads of poor households, widows, and senior citizens over the age of 70 years, it said.
Furthermore, two free LPG cylinders per year, one each during Onam and Christmas, will be provided to poor families, the manifesto stated.
"We will protect Sabarimala, Guruvayoor, and all other places of worship by revamping Devaswom Boards to increase the participation of devotees in temple management," it further stated.
The NDA manifesto also said that it will end corruption through a time-bound CBI enquiry into the Sabarimala gold theft.
It also promised to launch a "Sabarimala Infrastructure Development Mission" to undertake large-scale devotee-centric infrastructure development at the hill-top shrine.