Patna: Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) on Saturday released his party's manifesto for the upcoming Bihar assembly polls, promising to pay girl students their entire fee for technical and higher education outside the state, besides footing their air travel bill once a year.
"If our party comes to power our government would pay the entire fee for those girl students passing out of government schools who would carry on their technical and higher education outside the state. Besides, the government would also provide these girl students the facility of coming to their homes once in a year by air. The government would foot the bill once in a year," Kushwaha told reporters.
If RLSP came to power it would pay the fee for girl students till technical and professional institutes are developed in Bihar, he said.
Outlining the party's priorities, Kushwaha said farmers and youths are its priorities and hence RLSP would take steps and measures to irrigate all the farm lands within five years of coming to power.
Its vision is to promote the setting up of agro-based industries in the state as it would serve twin purpose of creating employment opportunities for youths and also provide fair price to farmers for their produce.
Kushwaha said 'George Fernandes Yuva Mission' would be constituted by the party for providing jobs to youths.
The manifesto has also promised to rename 'Patna' as 'Pataliputra' besides re-christening 'Patna University' as 'Gautam Budha University'. It would also celebrate the birth anniversary of 'Ashok The Great' as a state function.
He said for ealy disposal of cases relating to crimes against women, RLSP has proposed to set up more fast track courts. There would be round the clock call centre which would work under the chief minister's supervision.
He claimed there was a 'wave' in favour of NDA and said the real issues in Bihar were employment and irrigation.
"The beef issue is an academic one which can be debated later. RJD is trying to deflect the issue from genuine issues and that's why they are making absurd statements," Kushwaha said when asked to comment on that party's leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh's statement that even sages and seers used to eat beef.
