Congress releases manifesto for Chhattisgarh polls

The Congress has promised to conduct a caste census, loan waiver to farmers, ₹500 subsidy on gas cylinders, free education to students from KG to PG, free electricity upto 200 units, among others, if the party is voted to power in Chhattisgarh again

The Congress on Sunday released the party’s manifesto for the upcoming Chhattisgarh assembly elections, promising to conduct a caste census, loan waiver to farmers, ₹500 subsidy on gas cylinders, free education to students from KG (kindergarten) to PG (post-graduation), paddy procurement at ₹3,200 per quintal and free electricity upto 200 units, among others, if the party is voted to power in the state again.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel speaks to media in Raipur on Sunday, after releasing the Congress’ manifesto for the upcoming assembly elections in the state. (PTI)

The party released its manifesto, titled ‘Bharose ka Ghoshna Patra 2023-28’, at six different places - Raipur, Rajnandgaon, Jagdalpur, Bilaspur, Ambikapur and Kawardha - two days before the first phase of the state polls.

Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel released the manifesto in Rajnandgaon while party’s state in-charge Kumari Selja unveiled it in state capital Raipur. Congress leaders had mentioned the promises mentioned in the manifesto during their poll campaigns in the state.

Speaking at the launch of the manifesto, CM Baghel said farmers will get ₹3,200 per quintal for paddy (20 acre per quintal), including input subsidy currently being given under the Rajiv Gandhi Nyay Yojna, to paddy cultivators.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which released its manifesto on Friday, had promised to procure 21 quintals of paddy per acre at ₹3,100 under ‘Krishi Unnati Scheme’. The BJP had also promised to provide gas cylinder at ₹500.

The Congress said that as per an estimate of the party, the outstanding farm loan is around ₹5,500 crores. The party also promised to waive off loans of self-help groups (SHGs).

The party announced that tendu leaf collection will be done at ₹6,000 per standard sack in place of the existing ₹4,000 and tendu leaf collectors will additionally get an annual bonus of ₹4,000.

Baghel said, “A Mahtari Nyay Yojana will be launched for mothers and sisters,” under which a subsidy of ₹500 per cooking gas cylinder will be given to women of all income groups and the subsidy will be directly deposited into the bank accounts of women. He added that the gas cylinder will cost ₹494 per cylinder. The BJP had promised to provide gas cylinder at ₹500 for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.

No separate scheme for married women was announced by the Congress. The BJP, in its manifesto had announced “Mahtari Vandan Scheme”, under which married women will be given financial assistance of ₹12,000 per year if the BJP comes to power.

While the BJP on Friday announced construction of 18 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), the Congress on Sunday promised that 17.5 BPL families will be given houses if the government retains power. The Congress said 7 lakh people will be given under PMAY and rest 10 lakh people will be benefited under the Mukyamantri Awas Nyay Yojna.

The BJP had announced that under Deendayal Upadhyay Krishi Majdoor Yojana landless agricultural labourers will be given ₹10,000 per year. The Congress said it will be ₹10,000 per year to landless labourers which was earlier ₹7,000 per year.

“…Schemes which are currently operational will continue if the Congress retains power in the state,” Baghel said.

Commenting on the Congress manifesto, former minister and BJP chief spokesperson, Ajay Chandrakar, said that there is nothing new in the Congress manifesto.

“The manifesto has nothing new …they have repeated what they had promised earlier and was not done. The Congress is only talking about promises not achievements in the last five years,” said Chandrakar.

Commentators believe that the Congress strategically chose to release its manifesto after the BJP released theirs.

“Before releasing its manifesto, the Congress strategically withheld key announcements, one of which was related to increasing the minimum support price (MSP) to ₹3,200 per quintal. This move signifies a calculated strategy on the part of the Congress. Another noteworthy point is that while the BJP is talking about giving pending bonuses of the last two years of the BJP regime, the Congress is focusing on waiving off the farmers’ debt accrued during its tenure. The fight is now going to be interesting on ground,” said Harsh Dubey, a political commentator based in Chhattisgarh.

Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Chhattisgarh in two phases on November 7 and 17.