30th January | TIMESOFINDIA.COM

PANAJI: While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state manifesto for 2017 election has given more emphasis on employment generation, building world class infrastructure and effective and accountable government, it promises to explore legal options to see relaxation/amendment on the order of the apex court banning sale of liquor within 500 metres of the highways.

The BJP manifesto, which was released by the Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, also promises to give industry status to tourism.

While the opposition parties have promised to clampdown on casinos, the BJP manifesto is silent on casinos in the state.

The BJP manifesto was released by the Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, but defence minister Manohar Parrikar, under whose guidance manifesto it was prepared, was not present at the function. Chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar, deputy chief minister Francis D’Souza, BJP state president Vinay Tendulkar, Union Ayush minister Shripad Naik and South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar were present at the release.

From the building a sustainable eco-friendly mining transport corridor, policy to regulate traditional occupations such as sand, laterite, stone quarrying, review and revising Tenancy Act amendments, introducing farmers market at multiple locations, replicating integrated school complex projects at other locations in Goa, construction of new bridges, plan and execute piped gas connection across the state and benefit of all social sector schemes to increase periodically by linking them to inflation index are some of the key points included in the manifesto. But the document is silent on the medium of instruction issue.

When asked about the BJP stand on casinos, Parsekar said it was a Congress gift to the state and the BJP government has not entertained casinos in the state.