BHUBANAESWAR: The Odisha state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday promised to make legislation in the state Assembly to ensure death penalty for accused involved in rape of girls below 15 years of age.

In its election manifesto released here by party’s national president Amit Shah, the state BJP also promised two-wheeler to girls securing good marks in intermediate classes.

“We promise to enact a legislation making a provision to award the capital punishment to those involved in rape of girls aged 15 years or younger. We shall implement strict security measures in all residential schools and shelter homes, including women security personnel, surveillance facilities, women wardens to ensure the safety of girl children,” read the manifesto.

It further said, “We shall introduce the Sailabala Two-wheeler Yojana to provide a two-wheeler free of cost to all meritorious girl students upon completion of Plus-two education.”

The saffron party also promised ‘Subhadra Samriddhi Yojana’ wherein every girl child on enrollment in 10th class, 12th class and graduate education will receive Rs 10,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively, and on completion of graduate education will receive Rs 15,000 in her bank account opened at the time of her birth.

The saffron party also promised smart-phones to all members of women self-help groups with 2GB monthly data and a monthly benefit of Rs 500 to all Green Card holders.

The manifesto also assured one-time loan waiver for all outstanding loans taken by women SHGs and to create a revolving fund of Rs 2000 crore to provide interest free loans and seed money to both old and new SHGs.

For the farmers and sharecroppers, the manifesto promised interest free crop loans and implementation of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN). The party also announced to spend Rs 1 lakh crore for expansion of irrigation network.

It also assured that Ayushman Bharat healthcare insurance programme will be implemented from the day one of assuming power in the state.

“Besides fulfilling all the promises that we have made in the manifesto, I want to assure people of Odisha that all the accused of chit fund scam and mining mafia will be put behind the bars. A special investigation team will be formed to probe these scams,” said BJP president Mr Shah.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan and many senior leaders of the state BJP were present on the manifesto release ceremony.