Rallies and preparations for 2020 Assembly elections have come to a halt in Bihar during COVID-19 scare and lockdown.
Bihar Assembly elections are set to be held within the state within the latter half of 2020. Under normal circumstances, by this time point, all political leaders within the state would have begun drawing up poll strategies, campaigning, and dealing and working against the clock to meet all promises made to the people.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had made several promises to the people of his state when he was elected to power as the Chief Minister in 2015. The deadline to meet these promises was June 2020. But thanks to the prevailing pandemic within the country, he seems a bit unsure of those promises getting fulfilled.
Once back within the chief minister’s chair, the Janata Dal (United) leader wants to require a footing in basic infrastructure, education, and skill development. Nitish’s agenda for his state is simple; one, basic infrastructure, two, education, and three, skill development. The agenda’s main focus is “bijli, sadak aur pani” (electricity, roads, and water/sanitation) together with a spotlight on youth employment, education, skill development, and women’s empowerment.
- The promises are to make every village roads as all-weather roads.
- All houses within the remaining villages will have an electricity connection and acquire power within the next two years(after 2015).
- The government will connect 17.9 million rural households and 1.6 million urban households with water pipelines.
- There will be toilets built in every home without one which will be done by constructing 16.4 million toilets in rural areas and 0.75 million in urban areas for a complete of 17.2 million toilets within five years(from 2015).
- Unemployment benefit for youth between 20-25 years, provide 12th standard pass students Mastercard facilities for taking a loan of up to Rs 4 lakh with a third subsidy on the charge per unit, establish a risk capital fund of Rs 500 crore to produce start-up funds to teens who want to begin manufacturing units, employment centers for 15 million youth altogether 38 districts of Bihar for basic computer education, language training, and skill development.
- Build new medical colleges together with a nursing college in every medical college. Every district/city within the state would also get an engineering college, an Information Technology (IT) institution for girls, a poly-technic, and a para-medical institution.
- 35% reservation for ladies in State jobs, extend the present 35% reservation for girls in police sub-inspector and constable posts.
For now, the government has decided to implement the plans and promises in rural areas while also following the Covid19 guidelines and norms. Work to fulfill the agenda mentioned above has already begun.
The elections within the state are barely 6 months away but within the present situation, all political parties are forced to cease all election-related work and political leaders have remained confined to their homes. Campaigns to succeed in dead set voters and strengthen political presence in multiple constituencies are placed on hold across all parties.
Political leaders find this case helpless as they can’t reach intent on their voters personally.