BJP Releases Special Manifesto For Women In Maharashtra

All parties seem to be focusing on female voters. The BJP has also shown its concern towards them by releasing a women-only special manifesto in Maharashtra ahead of the upcoming civic polls. The 13-point manifesto focuses on issues like employability, empowerment and security of women in the state. The first phase of election for Zilla Parishad will start from tomorrow i.e. February 16, which will be taken forward by 10 municipal corporations, including Mumbai, on February 21.

Madhavi Naik, state president of the party's Mahila Morcha (women's wing), released the manifesto. It guarantees protection to women, and states those who have to work till late by virtue of their jobs in IT and media industries will be given special security. The party has already released a general manifesto for the BMC polls.

“Although there is 50% reservation for women in all local bodies, it has been observed more than 50% of people who turn out to vote are women,” Naik told TOI while stressing the need for a separate manifesto for women.

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The manifesto promises to offer sanitary napkin vending machines to women and girls and undertaking routine check-ups for early detection of diseases, making arrangements for crèches for working women. It assures organising Vishakha Samiti in government offices and in each municipal corporation ward to deal with matters of harassment and other crimes against women quickly.

Toilets for women at every 2 km and at markets and gardens, participation and joint ownership for women in slum redevelopment and Pantpradhan Aawas Yojana, hostels for working women in each city and a day care centre for elderly women are among the other things that are promised by BJP in its six-page long manifesto.

The manifesto will go beyond Mumbai corporations and will be applicable in all other nine municipal corporations and 25 zilla parishads in the state. "The party has not only thought about issues related to urban areas, but also about problems faced by women staying on the outskirts of cities like Mumbai, Thane, Nashik and Pune," Naik said.

Picture credit- NDTV