Fighting an extremely difficult election, the Congress today released its manifesto for the coming Assembly polls, attempting to woo the electorate by promising a host of populist measures, including 33 per cent reservation for women in government and private jobs, an instant loan waiver for farmers and an unemployment allowance of up to Rs 10,000 for the youth.
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The manifesto, which the Congress has chosen to call 'Sankalp Patra', lays special emphasis on women, promising, besides a 33 per cent reservation in jobs, a 50 per cent reservation in Panchayati Raj institutions and a 50 per cent reservation for women in the municipality, municipal corporation and city councils.
The party has pledged separate buses for women, in which there will be a woman driver and a woman conductor. Also promised is a free ride to women passengers in Haryana Roadways buses.
The manifesto talks about providing a Rs 5,100 monthly pension to widows, disabled, divorced and unmarried women. People of the transgender community would get a Rs 5,100 per month pension.
Women below the poverty line have been promised a Rs 2,000 per month chulha kharch As per the Sankalp Patra, Rs 3,500 per month would be given to pregnant women till the birth of the child and Rs 5,000 per month till the child turns five.
The Congress has pledged scholarship for Dalit students — Rs 12,000 annually to students from Class one to ten and Rs 15,000 to students of class 11 and 12. It says it will constitute a Scheduled Caste Commission. The limit of the creamy layer of backward castes would be increased from Rs six lakh per annum to Rs eight lakh per annum, states the manifesto. The party has also promised to provide land to landless Dalit families.
Youth who are graduates will get Rs 7,000 per month as unemployment allowance, and postgraduates would be given a Rs 10,000 per month allowance till the time they get jobs, as per the manifesto. The party has also promised one job per family as per the qualifications. It has also stated that 75 per cent of the jobs will be given to the youth of Haryana in private sector industries and establishments.
Concerning farmers, the Congress has promised a loan waiver within 24 hours of the party forming government, and said that these benefits will also be provided to landless farmers. The party has said the farmers would also not have to pay the crop insurance premium as soon as the Congress government is formed. It has pledged Rs 12,000 per acre as compensation for crops destroyed due to natural calamities.
The Congress has promised setting up of one university and one medical college in every district. An annual scholarship of Rs 12,000 for 10th Class students and Rs 15,000 for 12th class students has been assured. It has also said free wi-fi zones will be set up in every educational institution and there will be a special campaign for teachers' recruitment.
On healthcare, the Congress manifesto speaks about a health card to be provided to each citizen and says the poor will be given free health services. There will be an ambulance service in every village, the party said. Drug rehabilitation centres in every block and a special task force to fight drug abuse have also been promised.
Congress has also promised free electricity up to 300 units per month and billing at half rate for more than 300 units per month.