Keeping the farmers, youth and tribals at the centre of its vision document, the Congress election manifesto for Jharkhand on Sunday promised to give loan waivers of up to Rs 2 lakh to the farmers, filling all vacant government jobs within six months of coming to power, providing jobs to at least one person in each household, besides withdrawing cases filed against rights activists by the state government.
Released by top Congress leaders in Ranchi, the manifesto also promised increasing minimum support price (MSP) for rice to Rs 2,500 per quintal, hike OBC reservation to 27%, separate Sarana Code for the tribals in 2012 census, besides enacting laws to check hate crimes (lynching) and a Social Audit Act for better implementation and monitoring of government schemes.
Be it loan waivers, hike in MSP or law against lynching, the manifesto for assembly election, named ‘Jan Ghosna Patra’, draws heavily from the election manifestos that was prepared for the assembly elections last year in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh where the party wrested power from the BJP.
“Instead of getting jobs, thousands of youth in the state have lost their jobs due to existing condition of economy. We promise to initiate process to fill all vacant posts in the government within six months of coming to power. We also resolve to provide at least one job in every household and unemployment allowance to others till they get a job,” said Jharkhand Congress in-charge RPN Singh, after realising the manifesto along with state president Rameshwar Oraon and congress legislature party leader Alamgir Alam. “Farmers have been suffering in the state under the present regime. Once we come to power, we would waive loans of farmers up to Rs 2 lakh. As we had promised and implemented it in Chhattisgarh, we also promise to increase the minimum support price for rice of Rs 2500 per quintal,” the former union minister added.
MSP for rice in the state is currently capped at Rs 1,815 per quintal. One of the major highlights of the Congress manifesto in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh was loan waivers and increased MSP. The party after coming to power implemented these promises within days.
With an eye on the tribal votes, the party has promised to withdraw cases against rights’ activists filed by the state government besides announcing to withdraw amendments made in the land acquisition Act. Hundreds of tribals have been booked, especially in Khunti district, for being part of the Pathalgadi movement.
“We will review all the cases filed against civil rights activists and groups and will make sure that provisions under CNT and SPT Act and PESA Act are implemented properly. Also, we will review all decisions of the state government in lights of changes made in the relevant Acts and withdraw the amendments made in the Land Acquisition Act,” said Rameshwar Oraon.
Following the popular demand of increasing the reservation for the other backward classes in proportion to their population, the manifesto promised to increase OBC reservation from existing 14% to 27%.
