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Uttarakhand Congress’ election ‘pledge’: Cheap ration, sky walk, free Wifi
The ruling Congress released its ‘document of pledge’ on Sunday that promises job to one member from each family, free Wi-Fi in colleges and universities, wheat
The ruling Congress released its ‘document of pledge’ on Sunday that promises job to one member from each family, free Wi-Fi in colleges and universities, wheat for Rs 3kg in ration shops, pensions to 10 lakh people, focus on development of rural area among others.
The party also promised to resolve the ‘state capital’ issue.
Congress general secretary Ambika Soni, chief minister Harish Rawat and PCC chief Kishore Upadhyay jointly launched the ‘document of pledge’.
Rawat said the party doesn’t believe in making ‘jumla’ (blank promises) and therefore it came out with the ‘document of pledge’. “We will ensure time bound implementation (of commitments). Unlike BJP whose vision document is blurred, we have set a clear roadmap for undertaking developmental works.”
The ‘document of pledge’ promises to check migration in hilly areas in the first two years if voted to power and to create “opportunities” in those areas. Rawat also promised to provide ‘specialised education’ to youngsters for their employment. “We have also decided to provide a job to a member from each family in government, private or semi-private sector.”
The party promised cheap wheat for above poverty line (APL) card holders. The document claims that wheat for Rs 3 per kg will be provided in the first year and Rs 2 per kg from the next year. In its recent report, HT mentioned that Congress will offer cheap ration. Ration shops will provide pulses, salt and edible oil at half the market price.
The chief minister claimed that the government will resolve the ‘state capital’ issue in three-year time. Uttarakhand is running from ‘temporary capital’ Dehradun since the state was formed in 2000. A section among political activists had demanded that Gairsain in hills should be declared the state capital. Rawat said if voted to power, he will run his office for a week every month from Gairsain. “We have already developed infrastructure and conducted assembly sessions at Gairsain,” he added.
On Saturday, the BJP’s vision document made no promise whether the party would notify Gairsain as a permanent capital if it wins the election. It conceded that if voted to power, BJP would consider declaring Gairsain as the summer capital with the consent of all parties.
Comparing the ‘document of pledge’ with BJP’s vision document, Rawat claimed most of the points published in BJP’s document are ‘copycats’ of his government policy. “BJP has promised free laptops, we are already providing it to SC/ST students. BJP talks about appointment of Lokayukta, our government has made initiative in this direction,” Rawat said.
