Punjab polls: AAP promises 25 L jobs, free Wi-Fi hotspots in villages

With an eye on the 2017 Punjab Assembly election, AAP today unveiled its ‘Youth Manifesto’ here promising 25 lakh jobs in five years, free Wi-Fi hotspots in villages and a special law for ensuring imprisonment till death for drug dealers.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal unveiled the party’s manifesto for the youth. The party, which is aiming to capture power in the state, will come out with separate manifestos for different sections of society.

“Our endeavour is to make the Punjab youth job creators, instead of job seekers,” the party said in the manifesto, prepared by Punjab Dialogue Committee Chairman Kanwar Sandhu, adding that 25 lakh jobs and employment opportunities will be created in the next five years.

AAP, if it forms government in the state, will create employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in both rural and urban areas, it said.

The party has also promised to make the administration corruption-free. “AAP government will launch a massive drive to root out corruption from all levels of administration and restore the credibility of the government of Punjab and the prestige of the state as the pre-eminent destination for setting up businesses, industry and trade,” it said.

AAP will also set up 147 entrepreneurship and skilling centres, one in each block of the state. Special emphasis will be laid on agriculture and allied industries, including food processing, dairy farming and horticulture.

Incubation centres, called Punjab Launch Pads, will be set up in 10 major cities—Mohali, Batala, Pathankot, Ludhiana, Patiala, Jalandhar, Bathinda, Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur and Amritsar.

“This will help the youth of Punjab turn their dreams of becoming innovators and entrepreneurs into reality with access to technology, infrastructure, finance, industry mentors and market opportunities,” the party said.

Foreign Employment Youth Board with five branches in Jalandhar, Amritsar, Mohali, Ludhiana and Sangrur will be established to advise and train the youth for foreign jobs.

A skill university, called Kanshi Ram Youth Skill University, will be set up in Doaba Region, with two regional campuses in Malwa and Majha. The university will conduct advanced studies in skill development.

Free Wi-Fi hotspots will be set up in all villages, cities and government colleges. This will provide connectivity to hundreds of thousands of youths in both rural and urban areas, it said.

AAP, if comes to power, will root out the mafia raj from government contracts. No MP, MLA, minister and their relatives will be eligible for government contracts. Youths will be preferred for the award of government contracts, it said.

On the issue of drug menace, the manifesto states that AAP, if voted to power, will “annihilate” the drug supply chain within one month of forming government.

A special law will be enacted to give imprisonment till death for drug dealers. Assets of all such convicts would be seized and auctioned, it said.