INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) promised on Sunday to create jobs, boost infrastructure and expand welfare programmes if it wins a third term, seeking to address key voter concerns ahead of next week's elections.
The general election will be held in seven stages from April 19 to June 1. Votes are due to be counted on June 4 and results expected the same day.
Modi, 73, is widely tipped to win a record-equalling third term on the back of his 10-year record.
Surveys, however, suggest unemployment, inflation and rural distress remain issues of concern in the world's most populous country despite its strong economy, and addressing these will be Modi's biggest challenge.
"Our focus is on dignity of life ... on quality of life, our focus is also on creating jobs through investment," Modi said after releasing the manifesto, titled 'Modi's Guarantee', at the party headquarters in New Delhi.
Modi said the manifesto is focused on creating jobs in sectors such as infrastructure, aviation, railways, electric vehicles, green energy, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, among others, in a bid to address discontent at unemployment levels that are rising despite strong economic growth.
"India's youth will not have even imagined the number of opportunities that will come their way," he told cheering BJP members, including top federal ministers who sat in the audience wearing stoles featuring the BJP's lotus symbol.
Focus on welfare
Modi also vowed to expand welfare programmes, including bringing all Indians above the age of 70 under an existing free health insurance programme and pushing piped cooking gas connections to all houses to follow up on a subsidised cooking gas cylinder programme launched in 2016.
Other promises include raising the cap on loans for non-farming small and micro borrowers, offering free housing for another 30 million poor and keeping up a free grains programme for 800 million Indians until 2029.
The manifesto said the BJP government would continue to focus on a path of low inflation and fiscal prudence to achieve high economic growth.
"The ambition of the 1.4 billion people of the country is Modi's mission," Modi said. "I am placing this manifesto before the people to seek their blessings. Please bless us ... to increase our strength ... implement this manifesto and ensure a developed India."
Defence minister Rajnath Singh, who headed the party's manifesto committee, said more than 15 lakh suggestions were received from across the country and those were incorporated into the document.
The manifesto also talks about implementing the "one nation, one poll" initiative, preparing common electoral rolls, uniform civil code, expansion of 5G networks and organising Ramayan festivals the world over.
High unemployment
Unemployment was the primary concern of 27% of the 10,000 voters surveyed by Lokniti-CSDS across 19 of India's 28 states, with rising prices coming second at 23%, the Hindu newspaper reported last week.
The unemployment rate rose to 5.4% in 2022/23, from 4.9% in 2013/14 just before Modi swept to power, and nearly 16% of urban youth in the 15-29 years age group remained unemployed in 2022/23 due to poor skills and a lack of quality jobs, official data shows. (Agencies)
Bob Blackman MP speaks during the event