Pollpourri: Old promises in new manifestos
E-governance which was announced years back has again found place in the UDF manifesto
By : smitha n.
Update: 2015-10-18 05:47 GMT
KOCHI: The so-called “well-drafted” poll manifestos promising good governance and transparency released by both the UDF and LDF have nothing much new as they repeat many promises announced in previous elections.
The UDF’s promises like a drainage master plan, rainwater harvesting, Kudumbasree buses, RO-RO service, e-governance, e-waste plant had appeared many times in their annual budgets and previous manifesto. The same is the case with the promises made in the LDF manifesto.
One of the major promises in the UDF manifesto is upgrading all roads within the city limits with a width of more than five metres using bitumen macadam and bitumen concrete with a five-year guarantee. But the promise of pothole-free good roads has already been made during the previous elections.
E-governance which was announced years back has again found place in the UDF manifesto. Though the Congress-led civic administration has been claiming during the last five years that e-governance is being implemented in a phased manner, it is yet to be fully operational.
The existing council which has failed to enforce the Advertisement Bylaw has promised to bring in a strict policy to restrict hoardings and display boards in the city.
Meanwhile, the LDF’s manifesto, though prepared through an extensive people’s consultation process, also has several repetitions. People-friendly footpaths and foot over bridges, construction of rail over bridges, modern bus shelters and new solid waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram are some of the old promises of the LDF that again found place in their manifesto. In 2010, the LDF manifesto promised “comprehensive and scientific development of Kochi to make it a global city”.