The Congress on unveiled a slew of promises with primary focus on wooing over 1 crore women population followed by farmers, unemployed youth and the weaker sections in its ‘sankalp patra’, the manifesto for the October 21 Haryana assembly polls released here on Friday.
From waiving off farmers’ loans within 24 hours of forming the government to giving women 33% reservation in government and private jobs, Rs 5,100 per month pension, Rs 3,500 pregnancy allowance till the birth of the child and Rs 5,000 per month till the child turns 5 year old, Rs 2,000 per month ‘chulha kharch’ for BPL women and Rs 1 lakh shagun on wedding of weaker section girl, the party has showered freebies on all key sectors.
However, the party has steered clear of mentioning the financial impact of these promises on the state treasury.
Also, the manifesto doesn’t touch upon the contentious point of how the party proposes to implement its mega promise of farm loan waiver. It is silent on the category of farmers who will be benefited and the loan amount that will be waived.
“We will ensure that farmers’ loans will be waived off within 24 hours…and landless farmers will also come under the ambit of these benefits of loan waiver,” the party has stated in the 20-page document that Ghulam Nabi Azad, in-charge of Haryana affairs, described as “revolutionary”.
Azad said if voted back to power, the Congress government will make a policy to implement the farm loan promises, and implementing farm loan promise will be the top priority of the Congress.
State Congress chief Kumari Selja, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Kiran Choudhry, chairperson of the Congress manifesto committee, released the manifesto along with Azad.
“We will provide for one job for every family based on capabilities and 75% jobs will be given to the youth of Haryana in private sector industries,” the manifesto says, promising Rs 10,000 per month allowance to unemployed post-graduates and Rs 7,000 to degree holders.
Haryana has 85 lakh women voters and the party has promised separate buses for women having women as driver and conductor; 50% reservation in panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) and in the municipal corporations for women.
Also, the party has proposed to remove mandatory educational qualification for contesting elections of PRIs, which the ruling BJP had introduced.
It also proposes strong legislation to curb mob lynching.
Abolishing contract system in all government departments and boards, increasing retirement age from 58 to 60 and regularising guest teachers and computer operators, besides free 300 units electricity per month and reducing electricity rates to half are other promises the Congress has made.
Selja hoped the manifesto will end the “misrule” of the BJP while Hooda said manifesto was an attempt to make Haryana “secure, healthy and educated”. Kiran Choudhry said giving top priority to women in the manifesto was a well-thought out decision.
“Unfortunately, we are hero when it comes to hard work and zero in publicity. And the party running the government at the Centre (BJP) and in other states at present is zero in delivering, but hero in seeking publicity. We work in the field and our rivals in the TV studio,” Azad quipped.
Cong poll promises
FOR WOMEN
-33% reservation in all Haryana government jobs and private institutions
-50% rebate in house tax in women-owned properties
-Rs 5,100 pension to transgender community
-Rs 10-lakh loan @ 4% interest to educated women for self-employment purpose
-Free education up to college and special buses for girl students
-Women colleges at the tehsil level
-Free transportation in Haryana Roadways
-Women to start receiving Rs 5,100 old age pension from 55 years
YOUTHS, DALITS, FARMERS
-No interview for B, C and D category in government jobs — a decision the state government has already implemented in case of C and D categories
-Free plots of 100 square yard to SCs, backward sections for house construction
-SC commission to be reconstituted
-Creamy layer of backward classes to be increased from 6 lakh to 8 lakh
-Free power for farmers having land up to 2 acres
-Rs 12000 per acre compensation for crop failure
-Loans of cooperative societies up to Rs 1 lakh given to farmers, backward classes and SC to be waived off fully
Kisan Model Schools at tehsil level
EDUCATION
-University and medical college in every district
-Sports university in Bhiwani, and horticulture and forestry university in Yamunanagar
OTHER KEY PROMISES
-De-addiction centre in every block
-Strong legislation to curb mob lynching
-Retirement age of government employees to be 60 years
-Indira Rasoi: Rs 10 per plate meal for poor in every tehsil in government-run canteens
-Rice and wheat for poor @ 2 per kg
-Honorarium for sarpanch, panch, nambardar, chairman and vice chairman of zila parishad
-All unauthorised colonies existing as of 2019 to be regularised
